


Kill Cheerleader

by death13



Series: CRIMEWAVE [1]
Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Addiction, Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Angst with a Happy Ending, Blackmail, Drowning, Emotional Manipulation, F/M, Healing, Manipulation, Mental Instability, Misogyny, Multi, Mystery, Non-Consensual Drug Use, Obsession, Psychological Horror, Reader-Interactive, Smoking, Stalking, With A Twist, Yandere, displaying mental illness symptoms, there is an oc in this who gets demonized because of, there's no tag for that but ik it can be triggering so ill put it out here like this?
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-24
Updated: 2020-08-22
Packaged: 2021-02-28 19:14:25
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 20
Words: 46,250
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23302216
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/death13/pseuds/death13
Summary: You and your friend Iwaizumi notice that volleyball extraordinaire Oikawa Tooru has been acting strange lately. What gives? After asking this question, both of you find yourselves skin deep in a rabbit hole of lies and confusion.
Relationships: Iwaizumi Hajime/Oikawa Tooru, Iwaizumi Hajime/Oikawa Tooru/Reader, Iwaizumi Hajime/Reader, Oikawa Tooru/Reader
Series: CRIMEWAVE [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1707358
Comments: 226
Kudos: 321





	1. Observations & Musings (Prologue)

Oikawa Tooru is a generally insincere person. You know his real smiles to be less breathtaking―more teeth and not half as much princely charm put into them―and you also know the things that come out of his mouth to be empty. Behind his facade is a certain degree of violence and immaturity, buried deep behind phony pleasantries and hair gel. _Lots_ of hair gel.

You're somewhat of an Oikawa expert, really. Perhaps it's because of time well spent with Iwaizumi that it's become a habit to be aware of him and his antics or maybe it's just within your nature to mull over what you consider suspicious.

That being said, Oikawa is also seldom easy to read.

Not that his diplomatic flattery manages to fool you, of course, and neither do his shallow smiles. It's easy to tell when he's upset if you have the patience to pay some more attention to him. The hard part of this process is figuring out what it is that's upsetting him, exactly.

Oikawa is as petty as he is fake. Not that he'd admit that out loud just like he'd refuse to admit inferiority, naturally.

"[L/n]-chan, stop glaring at me like that," he whines.

"Sorry, sorry. Did I look constipated again?"

"No, it was more like the look you make when you're having withdrawals."

"Duly noted," you say before you lean against the railing a bit more. Then, in a manner similar to an interrogation, you begin questioning him. "Anyway, why'd you insist I walk you home? You've been kinda weird today."

His lips falter. It's a slight movement. However, he soon breaks out into his usual childish pout. "But, [L/n]-chan! It's too _dark_ and _scary_ out here for handsome men such as myself. And Iwaizumi didn't want to wait for me after practice hours today..." The last part is nothing more than a mumble which you translate as baby wailing sounds in your head.

You cringe at his unconvincing reason, but don't press the topic further. Instead, you decide to tease him. "If someone tried to kidnap you, I'd just watch."

"Ha-ha, very funny," he deadpans.

And so, the two of you begin a hurried walk towards his house. You're not really sure what he's in such a rush for, but again, you don't question it for you would not receive an answer.

▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅

"Ah, [L/n]-san," the football club captain greets you.

If he has some business with you, you suppose his timing is convenient since you were just about to leave and join Oikawa and Iwaizumi on their walk home, as today is one of the days when your schedule aligns with theirs. You glance at him and a half-smile appears on your face. "Hello there, captain. You need something?"

"Not particularly." He graces you with a pleasant smile in return. "I was just wondering if I'm going to see you at our next match?"

You shake your head, confused. "No, no. The volleyball guys already booked us. You know how they get about Shiratorizawa matches, so..."

What you're saying is true. Aoba Johsai's volleyball club rarely books the cheer club because Oikawa's fangirls tend to make enough noise to give off the illusion that the entire gym is cheering for them. So, you work with the football club the most and occasionally the basketball club. 

However, Shiratorizawa matches are a special occasion. With a few connections, meaning you, the cheer club is always reserved for the volleyball club when they inevitably face off against Ushijima. 

"Oh, I see. You know the coach, old man, probably forgot to tell us," he says with disappointment lacing his tone. Then there's a small frown.

"Is this all? I have to go."

He moves to wave at you goodbye. Then, a better idea hits him and so he gives you a proposal. "We're going to eat ramen in this place nearby. T-The whole club I mean. So, wanna join us?"

"Sounds like fun. There are a few girls still in the changing room, I think. Maybe I should invite them?"

"That sounds great," he agrees. "The more, the merrier!"

"Alright. See you in a bit, Masazumi-san."

▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅

"Where's [L/n]-chan?" Oikawa asks dumbly, looking around as if you've hidden in a bush and are currently preparing to ambush him and then laugh at his face.

"I already told you, she's hanging out with the football club. Are you listening to me?" Iwaizumi snaps. Honestly, he even has the read mark as receipts that Oikawa has surely read the text or has at least gotten a glimpse of it.

"Masazumi-san?" he asks curiously, though he seems a bit absent-minded when he enquires. He doesn't know too much about the boy himself, though he's seen you hang out with him a few times. But, this is all beside the point.

"Probably. But seriously, you're so out of it lately―"

Oikawa shrugs off Iwaizumi's concerned grip over his shoulder and speaks his next words almost like he believes them. "I'm fine! It's just. Shiratorizawa, you know?" 

"I understand," Iwaizumi says warily. Though, part of him doesn't believe this is the only thing bothering him. Shiratorizawa matches took a toll on the entire team but never has it caused dementia as a side-effect before.

▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅

Oikawa stares at the way your lips move, though your words aren't making any sense. Your voice blends in with Iwaizumi's―and he doesn't know what the two of you are talking about, doesn't _understand_ ―and then what's left mixes in with the cafeteria's noises.

Oikawa stares at Iwaizumi, too. He looks relaxed. 

Then, after he's watched his friends for long enough, his gaze gets lost somewhere in the crowd. It's not fixed onto anything in particular now. Rather, he observes his classmate's movement around the school with glossy eyes. 

"You're zoning out."

Oikawa's stare falls on you once more. You're not one to be very expressive with your face, though he can recognize a smidge of concern in the way your lips curl. "I'm not," he denies with a trademark smile that he believes is very suave.

You, again, give nothing more than a little grimace at his attempts to dissuade you. He looks like his facial muscles hurt from smiling too much without any reason to do so if you have to be frank. 

As if unsatisfied with his half-assed response, your eyes flit over Iwaizumi though he gives a powerless shrug to indicate that he has no idea what's up with Oikawa, either.


	2. Sticks & Stones

You look at the whiteboard, then back at your empty notebook, and then you look at Oikawa who's currently daydreaming out the window. Actually, daydreaming might not be the right word. You're unsure whether he's just dozing off or if his gaze is the tiniest bit paranoid. As sneakily as possible, you pull out your phone and place it behind your haphazardly-thrown bag. 

**nothing girl** :  
oikawa is being weird again

 **bruhzumi bruhjime** :  
Is he zoning out again

**nothing girl** :  
yea  
i think we should have an intervention or wtvr

 **bruhzumi bruhjime** :  
Lol what's wrong with you  
Our friend be like [is suffering]  
You be like let's try the intervention thing in movies no one does irl

 **nothing girl** :  
whatever  
do you think hes on drugs or something  
adderall has ppl fucked up sometimes

 **bruhzumi bruhjime** :  
He wouldn't  
Too risky when you're doing sports  
He looks more scared to me than like. High

 **nothing girl** :  
do you think someone could be bothering him then?  
maybe one of the rival teams or the fangirls

 **bruhzumi bruhjime** :  
Idk  
It's hard to tell  
He usually handles them fine

 **nothing girl** :  
bruh  
youre not being very helpful

 **bruhzumi bruhjime** :  
You know I wanna help him too  
What do you think we should do?  
He probably won't tell us anything

 **nothing girl** :  
you said he looks scared to you?

 **bruhzumi bruhjime** :  
Yeah  
Like he doesn't like being alone as much anymore

 **nothing girl** :  
i think hes home alone tonight  
maybe we should have a sleepover or something

 **bruhzumi bruhjime** :  
Sounds good  
Tell him after class  
I'd send him a text but he probably won't even bother checking his phone

Once the bell rings, you shoot out of your seat and notice Oikawa trailing behind. A few complimentary words are thrown his way as per the usual, and then some good luck wishes regarding the upcoming match. When things are going his way, he'd eat that up, but today all he has to offer is distracted mumbles of _thank you_.

Regardless, you catch up to him easily. "Shittykawa," you greet, perhaps to distinguish yourself from the people he'd brush off with ease.

"[N/n]-chan. Cruel as ever."

"Me an' Iwaizumi wanna have a sleepover tonight. You in?"

"What are you guys? Twelve?" he asks with a teasing undertone.

You roll your eyes. It's just like on Facebook when you ask if Dollar Tree is hiring and they say 'DM me'. Is Dollar Tree hiring or not? It's a yes or no question, not that hard to answer. Anyways. Ignoring your inner tangent, you figure that you have more important matters to arrange. "Well? Are you gonna come or are we going to watch The Notebook by ourselves?"

"I guess," he says tensely. You know that he can't resist The Notebook. He must be embarrassed by the fact that you know him like the back of your hand, but nevertheless, he also feels relief by your suggestion. He was certainly not looking forward to another lonely night.

 **nothing girl** :  
mission success  
  


 **bruhzumi bruhjime** :  
The Notebook again???

**nothing girl** :  
ya lol

 **bruhzumi bruhjime** :  
:/  
Then we'll listen to Michael Buble's Caught in The Act

 **nothing girl** :  
yall are so lame  
help

_Seen_

▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅

Iwaizumi's features scrunch up at the foul smell of cigarettes. He looks you over, though not in a judgemental manner. "I thought you quit for cheer club."

"I don't know. I just felt like I needed one today." You shrug nonchalantly. 

He stays quiet for a bit and then throws a look towards the gate. Oikawa should be finished up soon, anyway. "Be careful not to get caught by a teacher," he says, instead, even if you already know that. "You'll get expelled."

You give him a thumbs up. 

"I think our subject is approaching."

Squinting your eyes towards the gate, too, you notice Oikawa's silhouette coming nearer. Both of you wave him over, and though it's not necessary, he signals his acknowledgment with a wave of his own and one of these smiles he believes to be very lady-killer. You put out your cigarette with those sneakers you own that used to be white at some point in your life.

"My place or yours?" you ask Iwaizumi. The two of you were the preparators, after all, so it's only fair. 

He makes a grimace. "My mom has irritated bowels and I don't wanna be smelling that with you guys there all night. It'll just tear us apart."

You let out a hum and try to think of things that could be potentially embarrassing if the three of you were to crash at your place. Coming up with nothing, you open your mouth to offer until Oikawa decides that he's somehow better suited for this task.

"Actually, you guys should come. My parents are gone and I have The Notebook on DVD, anyway."

"We know you do," you both say in unison.

Oikawa doesn't acknowledge your full-blown making fun of him and his passion for bad romcoms.

▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅

Tashiro Yokono is a first-year cheerleader from your club. Through the window, she stares at you leaving along with the two volleyball players, clear distaste written over her face. She then turns towards her friend Ayano who's typing something on her phone in a frantic manner.

"Captain is such a slut," she says, all of a sudden.

Ayano is either not listening to her or doesn't care about her words because she just says _mhm_ and continues her texting spree. Apparently what the person she's conversing with on her phone is saying things much more engaging that Tashiro.

"Seriously. I've heard rumors that she's dating one of them! And cheats all the time," she continues ranting, her arms crossed over her chest. "I wish she wasn't the captain. Maybe they'd treat us more seriously if she wasn't so... easy."

"I've heard that too," Ayano says. Well, she isn't focused on the topic at hand, but at least she's listening somewhat.

"I'm monogamous, unlike her."

"Oikawa-san doesn't even know your name."

"I'm _monogamous_ ," Tashiro insists once more.

Another voice cuts in. "You shouldn't talk about a teammate like that, it's not very nice. [L/n]-san is very good at what she does, too," Masazumi, the football captain that your club works with most of the time, defends you quickly. 

Your gyms are close to each other, so it's not surprising to have a football player cross paths with one of the girls. Still, Tashiro's face grows hot at being found out so clumsily. By a popular friend of yours, nonetheless. "Masazumi-san! When'd you get here? I-I didn't even notice you."

"Just a little bit ago," he says with a smile. Then, he makes a shushing motion over his lips jokingly. "I won't tell [L/n]-san, but you shouldn't be jealous of her. She has nothing but respect for her underclassmen, after all."

"Hmph," is all that Tashiro says on the matter. "Whatever."

▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅

Oikawa throws a few glances around the yard before putting his key inside the lock and letting you guys in his house. Now that Iwaizumi brought it up, you can't help noticing how awfully paranoid and cautious he's being. Every little detail from the way he moves to the way he's too on edge to pay attention to whatever both of you are saying makes him appear vulnerable.

He's no helpless victim, either. Rather, Oikawa prefers to fight back if given the chance or even be an instigator occasionally, so it's hard to tell what it is that's causing him to act this way. If anything, he's supposed to be having a narcissistic high from the amplified amount of praises he's receiving for the nearing match against Shiratorizawa rather than tucking his tail in like a pansy.

So, things are looking bleak.

"I thought your parents are gone," Iwaizumi says.

"Just making sure, haha." The brunette brushes him off easily, as expected. 

Once the two of you take your shoes off, he locks the door and announces that you're free to make yourselves feel at home. You don't question him out loud and, instead, lay down on the sofa like a starfish. "First come first served."

Iwaizumi dashes at you and suplexes you, effectively knocking the air out of your stomach. "Don't hoard it!"

You, however, being the capable athlete that you are, start brawling with him. It turns into a tumble of sorts and at some point you find yourselves tangled on the floor instead, though your vicious beatdown over the coach is stopped by a sharp laugh.

Oikawa lets out a genuine one at your antics before shoving the DVD in the player. "Pfft― you guys are _barbaric_." On cue, The Notebook introduction starts playing and Oikawa runs back and hoards the coach, leaving you two on the ground. You can't even argue with him because you're in his house. Damn it, he's outsmarted you.

"Hey! I'm a perfect philanthropist," you defend yourself. Though, internally, you're admiring the sight of his natural smile. He looks relaxed now with these new circumstances and you can't help the relief that washes over you at this revelation.

Iwaizumi isn't very happy with your declaration and pulls on your cheek which, in turn, makes you start swatting him away. "Lying is bad, [L/n]."

"Stop! _The Notebook is starting_." Oikawa kicks Iwaizumi in the back lightly, now emotionally engaged with these characters whose story you've seen a dozen times or so.   
  
You consider this your win and poke your tongue out at Iwaizumi. His response is a mere snarl in your direction before turning his attention towards the movie. A few seconds in, he whispers in a hiss: "Remember [L/n]. _Michael Bublé_."

"Thank God you didn't put the apostrophe when we were texting, I would've blocked you."

"What?"

"The apostrophe," you repeat, rolling your eyes.

"It's called an accent."

"Shut up," Oikawa scolds once more, though much more dangerously. "The _if you're a bird, I'm a bird_ scene is so good, it's a surprise every time when it comes."

You make a hopeless expression, which Iwaizumi returns. To be honest, you'd rather have Michael Bublé right now if it'd save you from Oikawa's incoherent praises about this chick flic. You know that he's spiraling but even when he's at his best, he says such things about the movie and it unnerves you.

▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅

In the middle of the movie, Oikawa's obnoxious ringtone snaps you back to reality. You were kind of dozing off until now but the sound of Gimme More by Queen Britney always awakens something within you. He begrudgingly stops the movie and reaches out until his fingertips graze the cellphone. Then, when he notices who's calling him, the atmosphere around him changes once more and you watch him turn it off in a panic.

Oikawa is good at hiding his emotions, as you've noted before. Though his technique's gone sloppy in the past two weeks.

"Who was it?" Iwaizumi asks with his head leaning against the couch, legs tangled with yours.

"Unknown number. I don't answer them, though," he says impassively. "You know, rational people usually don't do that."

You feel like his remark is directed towards you, but you disregard it. "Aw why?" you whine. "I love messing with prank callers."

"Yeah, yeah. It might've been funny." It's not within Iwaizumi's nature to encourage your often immature behavior, but this time, he realizes what you're trying to do. What's more bewildering to you, however, is the fact that he's going along with your plan.

"You guys are lame," Oikawa drawls out. Now that the movie is paused, he can finally take the chance to stop holding his pee in. He couldn't help it―he's just so immersed. 

With a lot of elegance, and by that envision a slight stumble due to his legs going numb, he makes it out of the living room and ascends the stairs. Once he's out of your sight, you jump on the couch, dangle over the lone nightstand and grab his phone. 

"Isn't that an invasion of privacy?" Iwaizumi whispers in a harsh tone. But if he has to be honest, he's curious too.

You shove your toe in his face with impressive precision to suggest how little you care. Typing your friend's password in, and you must emphasize that it's not your fault he's so careless with it, you open his calls and instruct Iwaizumi to write the number of the latest missed call down.

Opening his note app hastily, he complies just within the nick of time. It's either morbid curiosity or him suddenly turning into a simp instead of into a werewolf (The Notebook got you in a corny trope mood) that makes him follow your request though you're not complaining. 

Both of you can hear the disturbing, loud flush of Oikawa's toilet which causes you to panic and throw his phone away _somewhere_. There's a crashing sound, but you think it's not broken at first glance and that's satisfactory enough for you as of now.

Iwaizumi cusses you out but you pointedly ignore him.

"What was that?"

"I hit my head," you lie. If anything, you're as smooth as ever.

"You alright?" Oikawa enquires.

Iwaizumi glares. "Oh, she's just fine."

Movie night continues as scheduled, you suppose. You're more invested in what this number might hide, however.


	3. Threats & Disasters

"What should we do? Call it?"

"Well, _I_ don't know. You demanded that I write it down," Iwaizumi jeers at you, annoyed all of a sudden. You briefly wonder what's with him but then you remember that he witnessed you almost break Oikawa's phone in the heat of the moment so you kind of understand where he's coming from.

As if to spite him, you mumble something along the lines of _'give me that',_ type down the number and dial it. You and Iwaizumi fall into a standstill, waiting for something to happen and the beeping sounds of your speaker only put you both further on edge.

Someone picks up the phone, though they say nothing. 

"Hi?" you call out, wary.

The call is then promptly ended by the person on the other line.

You stare at Iwaizumi in confusion, though he offers nothing more than a shrug. There's not much to say, anyway. To remedy the situation, you say: "You think it's a sex hotline?"

"I'm pretty sure they don't hang up on customers."

"Killjoy," you mumble.

▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅

After your club's morning practice, you make your way towards the changing rooms. It was a particularly intense one, in honor of the match you're going to be attending soon. Of course, as the captain, it wasn't that big of a deal for you but the others look tired. Even if cheerleading is often pushed to the side in comparison to other sports, and you're aware that most of your club members were under this impression before joining as well, it's still demanding in terms of athleticism. 

You take a quick shower to get rid of the sweat and stench, but by the time you're done, you notice that only two girls are left lingering around. It's Takeuchi Ayano and Tashiro Yokono, the first years. You're not on notably friendly terms with them, so you don't say anything, though you can feel Tashiro's glare at you.

After her stare becomes uncomfortable, you turn towards her. "Do you need anything?"

"No! No." She's jumpy when she answers, scared off by your unfriendly tone. Then, as if examining a test subject, she keeps glancing between your figure and your bag in the corner. She waits for you to make a move to start putting on your uniform, but you simply stay motionless. "...Not at all."

"Are you _sure_?" you drawl out.

"So. Um. Masazumi-san hasn't said anything weird to you, right? About me."

"No. Why?"

" _Hmph_." Then, her eyes continue to nervously circle left and right. "I― was just curious. 'S all."

"Ok." You shrug at her strange behavior. After your lukewarm response, she decides that she's had enough of this awkward situation and haughtily leaves the changing rooms. Ayano follows after her, then trails behind and bids you goodbye which you return.

With both of them gone, you begin undressing and pull out your uniform. You see something peak out from under the folded clothes. Confused, you lift your shirt with a sense of caution and notice a bunch of polaroid pictures thrown in there.

 _Someone's been going through my stuff_ , you think with a grimace.

Deciding that you don't care about being late for your literature class more than you already are, you begin their examination. It's a collection of group pictures from tournaments and matches. On some of them, your face is drawn over with a red marker in a clumsy manner, on others where you happen to be standing in the corner it's been simply cut out and there are a few where it's been stabbed with what looks like blunt scissors.

The variation is crazy, really.

You scowl at this discovery. If someone thinks they can mess with you like this, they must not know you very well. You're immediately suspicious of your fellow club members since they're the only ones who have constant access to this room though you also realize that jumping to conclusions is not a wise thing to do.

Still, this is most likely some kind of prank rather than an actual threat but even so, you can't let it slide. On the off-chance that it turns out to be a real concern, you conclude that you must deal with it immediately.

▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅

You're precisely ten minutes late for literature.

The teacher is used to your lateness, so you mentally prepare for some kind of reprimand. When you enter, it feels like the whole flow of the lesson is disturbed and a few of your classmates instinctively turn their heads towards the door at the noise, but then realize that it's just you and resume their note-taking. 

You linger by the door, waiting for the teacher to excuse you. She turns in your direction with a disappointed sigh. "You're late _again_ , Miss [L/n]."

"Well, you see _someone_ thought it'd be very _funny_ to threaten me after my club activities," you announce with a fake laugh. "So, excuse me for being a _bit_ late."

At your declaration, Oikawa is snapped out of his stupor. His eyes widen and meet your annoyed expression. You don't look particularly worried, per se, but he gets a gut-wrenching feeling in his stomach.

"Threaten?" The way she asks you for elaboration sounds awfully blase, but you don't mind.

"Yeah." You walk up to her desk and drop the polaroids.

She looks at the contents of the photos and lets out an unpleasant lip-smack. "Alright. I'll discuss this with the staff during our council meeting. Sit down, Miss [L/n]."

With a slightly ungrateful 'thanks', you strut towards your assigned seat and sit down. A few of your classmates are looking towards you with pity written over their faces, but you refuse to be a victim. When you find whoever thought this is appropriate to do in any degree, you'll make them regret it.

Oikawa raises his hand and asks to go to the toilet a few minutes after. He doesn't return back to the classroom after that.

▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅

_"Did you know, [L/n] from 3-6 is being threatened..."_

_"Really? Poor thing."_

_"Think it's a crazy ex or something?"_

_"It could be, I heard she cheats on her boyfriends like crazy!'_

_"What? Maybe she deserves it then."_

_"I think it's a fluke."_

_"You know women, they're always so dramatic―"_

The cafeteria's chatter is stopped abruptly by the smack of Iwaizumi's hand against your usual table. He has just arrived and is already causing some sort of scene. He makes one nasty expression towards the people staring at him, which were coincidentally the gossipers, and then sits down.

"Rumors travel fast around here," you say with a slight smirk at his challenging expression. 

"What's this about you being threatened? And where's Oikawa?" Iwaizumi hisses, leaning in your face as if to prevent the others from hearing. The action does nothing except bring out the brutish features of his face when he's angry. 

_"Do you think Iwaizumi is sending them?! He looks so angry at her."_

You explain to him what has occurred cooly. You're calm now that you know that the teachers will be looking into it. The thing that was bothering you the most was that someone must've touched your belongings to place the photos in between your clothes. "And Oikawa, he said he's gonna pee and then he never came back to class. He might be at the nurse's or something."

On cue, the manchild appears.

"[L/n]-chan! Are you alright?" he asks. Well. He whines more than he asks, but you suppose that the sentiment is there. You briefly wonder if this incident has something to do with him though the moment this crosses your mind, you attempt to shake it off. There's nothing that has led you to believe that. Maybe you're just being paranoid.

Oikawa, too, takes his usual seat though in a much more reserved manner than Iwaizumi's uncharacteristically dramatic entrance.

Iwaizumi narrows his eyes at him. "Shittykawa. [L/n] said that you skipped some classes. What's that about?"

He makes an overplayed guilty expression and sweat trickles down his cheek. Then, he looks towards you. "Why'd you rat me out? I thought that we're friends."

"I like watching you squirm." You just snicker at his miserable expression that quickly follows your response. Of course, you know that he's not even half as scared as he pretends to be. 

"Were you practicing?"

There are a few moments of uncomfortable silence. Then, Oikawa lets out an unsure _um_ , which is basically a synonym for yes.

_"What if it was_ _―_ _"_

"Oikawa!" Iwaizumi scolds. In reference to his previous injury due to overworking himself, most likely.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> lawl the real shit is gonna start going down soonish. No one knows anything . 
> 
> also i write mostly comedy so this should be interesting lmaoooo


	4. Crises & Seclusions

Amari Setsuna, one of the second-years, isn't too fond of you just like the majority of your club members. Regardless, when it's time for you to go home this evening, she wobbles up to you with fake concern written over her face. It seems that everyone has been creeped out by the fact that someone might've barged in and went through your stuff, the rumors about an on-campus pervert spreading around like wildfire.

"[L/n]-san! I'm so sorry! How are you holding up?!" she exclaims. Tashiro mumbles something along the lines of 'kiss-ass' at her upperclassman's questioning.

"Fine," is all you have to say on the topic. The teachers will take care of it, _right_? Plus, the fact that it seems like everyone is so invested in this isn't exactly cheering you up. You prefer the effective method called 'close-your-eyes-and-ignore-it'.

She's not satisfied enough by your answer and decides to continue babbling. "I can't help being scared that someone will go through my stuff as well."

"That's understandable."

"Yeah... But, [L/n]-san, if you're not holding up well they'll probably demote you and I will be the captain. So, be careful." She then leers into your face as if she's challenging you. You cringe and pull away from her, which causes her to giggle. "Sorry, I didn't mean to be ominous!"

You suppose it's natural to become suspicious of her after such an outburst, for the lack of a better word. Still, if she were the preparator, would she be so blatant about it? There are too many ifs and buts in this situation. You've never imagined something like this could happen to _you_ , even, more used to seeing such situations in movies and the like.

"Whatever," you say, intelligently. 

"What?! You're just gonna let her push you around?" Tashiro says, bewildered by your lack of proper response. Though she does not like you if there is someone she likes even less it's Amari.

You shrug. Of course, you're aware what all of these girls that dislike you have in common. "A bit of shit-talk won't stop me from being friends with Oikawa, Amari- _chan_." 

She makes a nasty expression and decides to leave you be. Coincidentally, not long after your altercation, you receive a text message. Once the buzz of your phone dies out you decide to check it out, expecting to see Iwaizumi's contact name or perhaps Oikawa's if he's in a good enough mood today.

 **UNKNOWN NUMBER** :  
I didn't expect you to run your cheap whore mouth.  
But that's fine.  
Just stay away.

▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅

Iwaizumi looks around the empty corridor but spots nothing. The silence is eerie, almost, and after Oikawa dipped on him like he's possibly radioactive for no reason, he decided that he'll seek your company instead. Still, there's no sight of you.

He hears the squeak of shoes and turns around. There's a part of him that hopes it's you but the more rational part of him isn't surprised to see Masazumi, either. 

"Are you going back to the gym? Could you ask [L/n] to meet me in front of the gates?"

Masazumi blinks dumbly at him. "I think that [L/n]-san left already... I have to go back and practice, so, have a good night, Iwaizumi-san."

"Yeah, yeah," Iwaizumi says, dismissive of the other boy. It's not that he has anything personal against him but his sunshine-and-rainbows attitude could be a bit irritating at times. After their short chat is over, Iwaizumi retreats to the changing rooms and decides to call it a day, albeit a bit disappointed with his friends' wishy-washy attitudes.

Something familiar plays out. 

Admittedly, Iwaizumi is distracted when he starts putting his uniform on. Though when something strange grazes the tips of his fingers, it's instinct to pull away. Then, he gets closer and notices the polaroids thrown between his stuff.

His throat runs dry for a second. 

Their contents are similar to those that you had received, earlier this morning. It's not as scary as it is unoriginal and repetitive. 

▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅

**bruhzumi bruhjime** :  
We need to talk

 **nothing girl** :  
?

 **bruhzumi bruhjime** :  
I got the same polaroids you did

 **nothing girl** :  
WHAT

 **bruhzumi bruhjime** :  
Yea

 **nothing girl** :  
iwaizumi do you know what this means

 **bruhzumi bruhjime** :  
That someone hates us?

 **nothing girl** :  
no you simpleminded ball-er  
what do we have in common

 **bruhzumi bruhjime** :  
The power of friendship????

 **nothing girl** :  
no comment luv  
OIKAWA........ who's acting weird  
the math i am doing it

 **bruhzumi bruhjime** :  
I knew that was the answer I was just messing with you

 **nothing girl** :  
;/  
 _Seen_

▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅

You're ten minutes late for math like you're ten minutes late for literature and like you're ten minutes late for everything else. It's routine, almost, to the point that some of the teachers have stopped reprimanding you. 

Today, the moment you turn to grasp the door handle you see an unfamiliar man standing in front of the door. You know him to be a faculty member of Aobajohsai, but you're not sure what his name is. "Are you Miss [L/n]?"

"Yeah." You assume that this has to do with your report of the polaroids. You briefly wonder if Iwaizumi has said something about the ones he received yet.

He motions you to follow after him which you comply with. Then, once you're in a more isolated area, he begins speaking. "I don't know how to say this nicely Miss [L/n], but about that report you made..."

You hum when he starts trailing off. "What is it?"

"We checked the camera footage that day and... you said you found it in the changing rooms, correct? The only people who went there are the cheerleaders. So, it's probably someone from your club."

Your eyes widen.

"They're probably pranking you. Maybe you should get over it."

 _No. That's not right._ You open your mouth to say something, to defend yourself for you are not one to overreact, but he shoos you away. "Go back to class now."

"But I got these text messages too and―"

"There's **nothing** the school can do about it. Go back to **class**."

You grit your teeth before stomping away. These people aren't taking you seriously at all. You were more nonchalant when you were the only person affected, but now Iwaizumi is getting threats and something is going on with Oikawa. You can't overlook it!

▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅

**nothing girl** :  
i'm angry

 **bruhzumi bruhjime** :  
Hi

 **nothing girl** :  
this faculty guy came up to me and told me theres nothing the school can do about the polaroids  
they're not taking me seriously at all  
ill kill them ATAB (all teachers are bastards)  
they told me to 'get over it'

 **bruhzumi bruhjime** :  
Ok I'm angry too now  
I haven't said anything to anyone yet except you  
I'll talk with someone maybe they'll take it more seriously when more people are being affected

 **nothing girl** :  
thx

 **bruhzumi bruhjime** :  
You make me smile sometimes  
 _Seen_

▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅

Oikawa Tooru is someone you consider with fondness despite the vile things you know about him and despite his childish habits. Even when he's feeling down, he doesn't turn away from the spotlight. Like a dog to its vomit, he'll come back to whoever is willing to lend him an ear.

Oikawa Tooru is _avoiding_ you.

You take this information in with slight disbelief. Then, of course, as the stubborn person you are, you continue tailing him until you end up in a deserted hallway. "Oikawa," you spit, anger weaving its way into your tone with ease.

He then roleplays being deaf. That makes you seethe even more. It's one thing to avoid you but straight-up ignoring you won't do.

You charge towards him and he can see it coming―he knows you well enough to predict it, even―though before he can even make a move to run away, you've already landed on him. He lets out a little sound and you briefly wonder if you hurt him.

"Geez [L/n], I just don't wanna hang out today," he snaps. "What's wrong with you?"

It's not often that he shows this side of himself to you. The ugly one with the furrowed eyebrows and words laced with poison. 

You frown before looking around and then you retreat. "There's no one here."

"So what?"

"There's someone bothering you, isn't there?"

"What are you talking about?" he responds, more defensive than usual. 

"Why are you keeping it a secret? What's at stake, your pride or something? Someone is stalking you," you say like you're informing him about the weather. Well. You're not that convinced that what you're saying is correct, but you must be onto the right path at least.

Oikawa gapes at you like you've grown a second head. "I'm― not hiding anything, [L/n]. The threats you and Iwaizumi got don't have anything to do with me. So please, leave me alone."

You narrow your eyes at him. He scrambles away from you like a wounded animal, you would've probably laughed if you deemed the situation more appropriate. Silence ensues, for a bit, until you decide to speak once more. 

"I don't remember telling you about Iwaizumi's polaroids."

▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> AWOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO [turns into awolfonso awolfivian the vampire] Hi
> 
> hopoe everyone enjoyed it
> 
> by [exits via helicopter] -lottie (FAT_CRINGE read her stories)


	5. Ambiguities & Sorrows

"I don't remember telling you about Iwaizumi's polaroids," you accuse.

"Iwaizumi told me about it," he shoots back confidently.

"I don't believe that. You've been avoiding us all day."

"Who knows? Maybe it's just _you_ that I don't wanna talk to," he snaps before making yet another attempt to slither out of your incessant questioning. Oikawa too has always regarded you in a positive light ever since meeting you through Iwaizumi, however, it's the fact that you're _clever_ that has always bugged him.

Not that you're a genius by any extension of the word or that you're someone he envies. He simply doesn't enjoy not being the most observant person in the room. This cleverness packed with your persistence and stubbornness he has always considered as something that will come back to bite you in the ass and he doesn't like it one bit. (But he too knows the feeling of concerning himself with an endeavor that feels fruitless.)

"And what makes you think that you can talk to me in that way?" He's got his back on you now but it's not a hard task to imagine your face when you're angry. Oikawa shakes his head and a part of him expects you to continue trying, though soon after he has already made his way out of the hallway where he bumps into one of the girls he recognizes from the cheer club.

Takeuchi Ayano.

▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅

You don't know if you're angry or worried, but something within you snaps after this bizarre confrontation and you stomp out of the school. It is silent outside except for the wind whirling about, the coast is clear, and you're _itching_ inside though you try to put your mental power into not pulling a cigarette out.

A few moments pass before you cave in. Smoking never does much to relax you but your brain fools you into thinking that it does if only to fuel your bad habit. You're taking your first whiff from the second one by the time Ayano taps your shoulder to alert you of her presence.

You're startled. "Hi?"

She has her phone in her hand as per usual, texting away. "Hello, Captain. I saw you and Oikawa-san got into a fight."

"Is that so," you say, though it doesn't come out like a question. You're already thinking what you're going to do about the mysterious number, the polaroids, everything. The school has no intention to help you, that much is clear, so taking matters into your hands has become somewhat of a necessity.

"Yeah. I was wondering, are you feeling _scared_?"

You narrow your eyes at her. "It's whatever," you say, intelligently, before deciding to veer into a conversation that is more to your liking. "Where's Tashiro? You guys are usually together."

"She's mad at me too, I don't know. So since you and Oikawa-san were fighting, I thought that I'd talk to you instead." She appears to think that what she's said makes a lick of logic, but you don't get it if you have to be honest.

"Why is she mad at you?"

"She says I don't care about the stuff she talks about," she explains in an obtuse manner before shutting off her phone. "I mean, she's right."

"Then why are you guys friends? Make it make sense," you say bluntly. 

She gives one powerless shrug. This conversation is more awkward than she anticipated with the addition of your weird scolding, so she soon decides that this is an appropriate time to leave without saying goodbye. This, in turn, makes you feel even more uncomfortable. 

▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅

Iwaizumi is in the middle of being lectured by the guy that told you off about the polaroids, too. The older man is convinced that this is all some sort of prank, but Iwaizumi is willing to disagree. 

"Can I see the footage then? Or else I won't feel good," he requests. Maybe there is something that the teachers missed when they were examining it, it's not impossible. 

He reluctantly agrees, as if to get Iwaizumi off his case and end this once and for all, and the two start making their way towards the security room. Iwaizumi looks around for a bit before the camera guy asks him a few questions such as when this occurred, to estimate how much he should revert the footage.

After being provided with the answers, the camera guy plays it back and so the three of them stare at it. There's no one sneaking in, no one suspicious except different club-goers coming in and out of the changing rooms.

"See? Two students probably teamed up to prank you and [L/n]. There's nothing to worry about." The faculty member is frantic as he explains, desperate for Iwaizumi's understanding, even. The commotion that you had caused was making a lot of students paranoid, so he's just doing damage control at this point.

Iwaizumi wonders if the theory that two people are in on this is reality, or if there's some sort of trick to it. He can't think of even one person that not only has a problem with him but you as well, let alone two.

▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅

When class starts back again, you walk in and pass by Oikawa's desk indifferently before sitting down behind him as if to spite him. Just because he's going through something doesn't mean you're going to beg him to be nice to you or whatever. Well, if he wants you to stay away from him, that's fine with you. However, accepting the current ordeal as is doesn't mean that you're going to back down from solving this case. 

You haven't had the chance to talk with Iwaizumi just yet. You think that he's been dealing with the polaroids issue, though he must surely be done by now. Even so, Ayano distracted you and after your frustrating talk with her was over, you smoked a bit more and it was time to go back before you'd even realized it. 

"You stink," Oikawa whispers.

Well, if he doesn't want to talk to you, he's not doing a particularly good job at it. 

You feel an urge to retort with some sort of biting remark, however, that will just make him think you've forgotten all about his behavior earlier today. In other words, him trying to get a rise out of you is some sort of twisted mind game to remain in your good graces while still distancing himself from you. As if.

You roll your eyes, though you don't say anything in return. _How can he be so annoying even when he's acting paranoid and having some sort of obvious mental spiral?_

Your thoughts are again cut short by a disturbance, though one much more significant. You can see your phone light up with a text and the sender is the same unknown number that you called out of curiosity but they then started texting you. There's an attachment with it instead of some sort of ominous text like before and so, you can't help yourself from checking it the second you see it.

▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅

On his way back to class, Iwaizumi decides to go back to the changing rooms out of pure curiosity. Could there be some way to sneak in from the girls' changing room to the boys' changing room, without being recorded? Something more roundabout, perhaps.

The doorknob twists and he walks in, which makes him slightly uneasy. There must be someone there or otherwise, it would've been locked. Almost like he's afraid of something, he makes his way around until he notices that it's just Masazumi that's in there, looking around the benches.

"Masazumi," he says and it's not exactly a greeting rather than an observation. Masazumi is in his class, though they're not close or anything like that.

"Iwaizumi-san," the other boy greets back, though slightly startled. "I didn't expect to see you here."

"What are you doing?" he asks, suspicion lacing his tone. 

"I think earlier today when we had PE, I dropped my metal water bottle here, but it's nowhere to be found," he explains sheepishly. "We have class soon, shouldn't we be going? Or did you lose something too, because this place is practically deserted right now."

"No, I―" 

Iwaizumi wants to backtrack, though he stares at the serene smile on Masazumi's face. It wouldn't hurt to ask, right? Plus, he can't just stay behind after Masazumi goes back, that would be awkward. "Actually. Do you know if there's a way to go from the boys' changing room into the girls'?"

Well, that just sounds bad. Iwaizumi's face heats up in embarrassment at his badly-worded question but it's not like he can go back in time and magically gain more tact. He can only pray that Masazumi won't make it weird, now.

"What? I didn't take you for a pervert, Iwaizumi-san." Masazumi is frowning as he says this and Iwaizumi doesn't think he's ever been this embarrassed. 

"No, I mean! I don't wanna go in there, I think that one... of the girls snuck in," he admits, though he does not elaborate on why that is.

Masazumi opens his mouth and then closes it as if contemplating his words.

"There might be one way." He points towards a door that Iwaizumi had thought nothing of previously. It's always locked and he thinks that they have cleaning supplies in there, most likely. "The football club used to store some things in here, so the captain last year had a key. There's another door at the end and, if you have both keys, you could probably go into the girls' changing room. I'm not sure though."

"That's just bad architecture," Iwaizumi mutters. It's more like a remark towards himself more than anything but Masazumi offers a laugh.

When the two of them start making their way back, Masazumi speaks up tentatively. "Iwaizumi-san, why do you think a girl snuck in here? Should the other guys be concerned too?"

"I don't know, honestly. But it wouldn't hurt to be careful without panicking," he says after a short while of silence.

"You're not the type to be paranoid for no reason though, right?"

"You're too nosy," Iwaizumi says with distaste, quickening his pace.

"But Iwaizumi-san, isn't it selfish to not say anything if the others could be affected too?"

Iwaizumi shrugs. "I'm dealing with it. _Privately_. And, I don't like your fake nice attitude."

Masazumi starts whistling and then claims he doesn't know what Iwaizumi is talking about. This is exactly why they've never been close, if Iwaizumi wanted another Oikawa in his life, well he'd just be insane.

▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅

You're met with a picture of yourself smoking on school grounds. You can't tell exactly when it was taken but it must've been during the few minutes you spent conversing with Ayano. The picture itself is taken from the front, meaning that the person who did it was outside even though you didn't see anyone when you were throwing your pity party.

It looks orchestrated, almost, though you can't be too confident that you're not just overthinking a coincidence.

 **UNKNOWN NUMBER**  
Keep talking and I'll just have to find a way to shut you up.  
Say, if you don't stay away from him and keep telling other people about this, I'll snitch on you to the teachers and you will be expelled.  
How does that sound?

You chuckle at that. If this person thinks they can make you feel powerless with a little guilt-trip, they'll have to try harder than that. You've just seen the text and you can already think of a way to counter their threat.

 **You** :  
but that would mean exposing ur identity   
wouldnt it?  
 _Seen_


	6. Crescents & Silhouettes

▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅

The unknown number does not answer. You're not one to play mind games, but it seems that you've scared them off as you intended. _Stay away from him_ , they said. 'Him' is Oikawa and this revelation would explain his strange behavior as of late too.

But, who would want to keep you and Iwaizumi away from Oikawa? And why? Is it some twisted sense of love and hard to bear jealousy, or do they want to harm and isolate him and kick him down? It could be just about anyone.

Flipping through your notebook, you land on the last page. The corners are filled with little doodles, though you disregard them easily and focus on the empty middle. Scratching your brow, you try to think of your possible suspects. Most of his 'fangirls' are civilized, at the least, but they could still be nasty towards you. Iwaizumi usually goes ignored, though, so you don't know what's the deal with that.

Well, no one particularly dodgy comes to mind. You curse internally until you remember that strange conversation you had with Ayano earlier. _Takeuchi Ayano_ , you write out shakily, though you don't think of her as much of a criminal. Perhaps that's why her strange behavior creeped you out.

After you're dismissed from class, you make your way to the bathroom to ensure you're there before all the annoying people that make you feel like your bladder is on the verge of bursting. The moment you sit down, more people start making their way in.

You're about to move on with your business as usual until you hear Amari's voice through the strange silence. "Y'know [L/n], right? She's my club captain."

Abruptly, your movements freeze and you continue listening in. Again, it's not a habit for you to listen in on others' conversations but if a girl's getting threatened and she's being talked about, she has the right to eavesdrop. That's it, you think, you've just made up this rule and it makes so much sense.

"Yes. She's the girl getting threatened, isn't she?" Who is she talking to? You don't recognize her voice. There's no verbal response coming from Amari, as far as you can tell, because the other one keeps talking. "Has someone been going through your stuff, too?"

"Nah, not that I can tell, none of the other girls either. _She's probably lying, who would care about her enough to threaten her?_ " Amari says.

" _If I were you, I'd still watch my back_ ," the other claims. Or maybe she advises her, you can't tell. You feel like you're starting to read too much into things. Every word, every action.

"Don't worry! There's nothing for me to worry about," your teammate replies in a reassuring tone. The other girl giggles and calls her evil, though she sounds like she's joking, and then you hear their footsteps trail off as they walk out. 

_Amari Setsuna._

The rest of the school day passes by in a blur.

▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅

_Someone is watching me._

Searching for Iwaizumi in the cafeteria is not a hard task. He's never particularly hard to spot, with his spiky dark hair sticking out among the mass of students. He's sitting on your usual table, but Oikawa is nowhere to be seen and you don't mind that. If― _If_ you disobey Unknown's wish, they might end up hurting either you, Iwaizumi or Oikawa.

Does that mean that you're going to give up on catching them? No, duh. You'll just do it from afar.

You start approaching Iwaizumi until you're stopped by Masazumi's voice calling out to you. "[L/n]-san."

You're surprised to see Oikawa sitting with him and his friends. He looks out of place, he looks guilty, even, and that's rare for the image he tries to upkeep for himself. "Hi," you greet back.

"Care to sit with us?" he offers in what he believes to be a polite and tempting manner. The other football boys holler in agreement, excited to have you around. Last time when you guys went out for ramen, they ended up finding you fun to be around.

"No, sorry."

Masazumi frowns and leans back on his chair. He kind of resembles a kicked puppy, but you don't care to be honest. "Aww, alright."

You pass by their table until you eventually reach Iwaizumi. The two of you stare at each other for a short while before you initiate a complicated handshake with him. He plays along reluctantly. Well, you can't live your life all depressing.

After that's over, you put your elbows on the table and lean in as if you're about to engage in gossiping. "Let's go home together today."

"Sure," he agrees. "Anything new with. _You know?_ "

Yesterday, you and Iwaizumi already discussed what has occurred so far. Strangely enough, today has been peaceful. "No."

"Me neither."

"It's almost like... the quiet before the storm," you say, foreboding.

"Shut up." Iwaizumi rolls his eyes and then the two of you share a laugh and resume to your usual chatter. It's not hard to pretend that everything is the same, but deep down, both of you know that it isn't. 

(Oikawa has never felt more alone.)

▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅

When you put on your clothes before and after practice, you feel dirty. Like someone has been going through your stuff and you keep expecting to find something else, another threat, yet you don't. There's a new tension in your shoulders every time you go into the changing room.

You feel like you're surrounded by enemies.

"Let's do our best today so we can get ready for the Shiratorizawa match next week," Setsuna says in a sing-song voice.

You side-eye her, though you don't comment on her behavior. She's acting like a leader of some sort, which isn't that unusual but it makes the hairs on your neck stand with the current circumstances.

You throw one last gaze towards the door inside the locker room, the one leading to a storage room supposedly. Who could have both keys? But, the theory about the keys isn't factual. You'll have to check, just to make sure.

In the middle of practice, you excuse yourself to the bathroom but in reality, you go searching for a faculty member you could ask. You see a gym teacher passing by and approach her. "Hi, do you have the key to the storage room inside the girls' changing room? One of the girls dropped her phone in there," you say smoothly, though with enough awkwardness to justify the absurd situation you're describing.

"Oh, sure," she agrees, unfazed. "Wait here."

You comply with her request, though a bit suspicious of her willingness to assist you. It is supposed to be unused, after all. Perhaps something like this has happened before. She comes back after a short while and hands you the item and you promise to return it in a bit with a polite smile.

Once you make it back into the changing room, someone is already there. A shiver runs down your spine when you see Tashiro already there, seemingly lounging. Once the screech of the door opening registers in her mind, she snaps her head in your direction.

"Where were you?" she asks, sharp.

You hide your hand behind your back. "In the toilet. I could give you details if you want."

"No, I don't." She still looks suspicious of you and, with one scrunch of her nose, she decides to leave you be. "Just hurry up, Amari-san is being annoying again."

"What were you doing here?"

She freezes mid-step as if she's been caught red-handed doing something wrong, though she shrugs you off. It is most likely not your business after all.

"Y'know, if I were you I wouldn't ignore my question. Someone was threatening me by dropping threats in my shit and you're acting weird right now," you egg her on.

"I-I was scared," she admits. "That someone went through my stuff, too..."

You're not sure if you believe her but you let her be with narrowed eyes. Then, just to make sure, you check your belongings but come up with nothing. After she's out of your eyesight, you put the key in the lock and hear a click, signifying that it's open. 

Almost with caution, you step in. It's dark, dusty and barren. There is nothing inside, confirming the fact that it's no longer in usage. Then, you venture further into the tight space and place the key inside the other lock. Before you can turn it, the metallic door behind you snaps closed with a long thud. Your heart starts racing as you jerk up slightly―was that just a coincidence?

_**T a s h i r o Y o k o n o.** _

In a slight daze, you hurry out and open the door, checking your surroundings. There's no one there, anymore, and you didn't hear anyone enter or leave though you might've been too distracted to. You let out a breath you didn't know you were holding in. At least nothing happened.

You look towards the exit. Did Tashiro leave the door open when she left the room? You don't remember. It could've been a breeze... _or someone could've run in_.

Leaving the door ajar once more, you go back inside the storage room and resume what you were doing before this interjection. The moment you twist the key, you hear a familiar click. Just to make sure that what Iwaizumi told you is correct, you creak it slightly open and peek in.

_Someone is staring straight at you._

Quickly closing the door and locking it back into place, you figure this is your divine punishment for doing something immoral in the name of research. Still, no one should be there, everyone has club activities right now. You want to puke your guts out right then and there.

"[L/n]?" someone shouts out. A familiar voice. You're surprised you didn't recognize him, it must've been the adrenaline.

"Iwaizumi!" you yell back. "You scared the shit outta me."

"What were you doing?"

"Just checking something. Let's talk about this later," you suggest.

_...[L/n] [Y/n]?  
_

▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅

"Oh, Miss [L/n]." The teacher smiles. "Did the poor girl get her phone back?"

"Er, yes," you reply before returning them to her.

"Oh, that's good."

"Do you know who else uses these keys? Like, who have you given them to?" you blurt out.

Her pleasant expression morphs into one of both confusion and vexation. "What? Why would you need to know that?"

"Well―"

_"I can't tell you something like that."_

You scoff. Typical, if you take into account your previous experiences regarding this whole ordeal. You would prod until she kicks you out, would've lied until she believes that it's urgent to tell you what you need to know, but it's futile. They won't do anything.

They don't care about anything beyond their reputation.

▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅

When you and Iwaizumi make it out of school grounds, there is a tense silence in the air on the walk to your house. He's been walking you home often lately, as a safety precaution. You take a mental note to return the favor when an opportunity arises.

Still, he says nothing.

"You don't suspect me, do you?" you ask, as blunt as ever.

"No." He blinks owlishly. "Of course not, it doesn't make sense. It just startled me when you were there, rightfully so. You don't suspect _me_ , right?"

You shake your head no. Just as he said, that doesn't make sense either.

"Good."

"Good," he agrees as well. Then, he hits you with something unexpected as if to reintroduce whatever is considered normalcy in your conversations. "Did you see that video of Hanamaki pretending to drink motor oil?"

You let out a crude laugh. "No, holy shit. Show me."

▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅

Your apartment is dead silent when you enter. It was already dark when you and Iwaizumi got out of school and in your hallway, it feels like you're floating in an unlit void. You turn on the lights, and then make it inside your room and proceed with your usual after-school routine.

Soon after, you feel some sort of restlessness and anxiety. You stand up and near the kitchen, a pack of cigarettes in your hand. _There's someone in there,_ you think, but the more grounded part of you knows that there isn't.

Before you fully enter, you slip your hand through the crack and turn the light on. Everything looks untouched since you left in the morning. You've been itching to take a puff even before your club activities started but ever since Unknown sent you that picture, you were almost paranoid to do so near the school. As if you tempted fate once more, Unknown would follow through with that they said.

You open the window, the night air fresh against your cheeks. The only warmth is that of your cigarette and that comforts you, somehow. As you lean your upper body against the railing, you look down below towards your neighborhood.

Everything is motionless, unmoving. This, too, is something that you find comfort in. Something ruins the serenity of this stationary night and moves in the corner of your eye. Your eyes snap towards it immediately―just like that, the atmosphere was disturbed.

_Someone is watching you._

It's not a person, as far as you can tell. A dog of some sort, maybe, and it's as if it disappears out of existence before you can even identify it. Just like that, you lose track of it. 

**UNKNOWN NUMBER** :  
Did you have fun today? (:


	7. Lies & Kisses

**UNKNOWN NUMBER** :  
Did you have fun today? (:  
It wasn't very hard to go a day without Tooru, I bet.  
Because you're a fucking slut.

 **YOU** :  
lol  
k

 **UNKNOWN NUMBER** :  
You were good today, unlike some others.  
I'll get rid of every single one. Like bugs. Like you.

Some others, like who? The football club?

▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅

"Are you ready to do a victory dance today, [L/n]?" Iwaizumi asks. He sits with you during the bus ride as you're all on your way to the Shiratorizawa match. Oikawa is somewhere in the back, with Setsuna next to him, strangely enough.

"Yeah, we practiced that. So you better not make it go to waste." It's a vague threat but a threat nonetheless.

"Of course. Have you seen these guns?"

You give him an incredulous look. He lowers his hand down as if he's ashamed of himself.

"My abs are harder than yours, anyway," you mention irrelevantly. 

"Kyoutani won against you in arm wrestling three times. I've beaten him ten times. That means you've lost against me thirty times," he shoots back, with the same flair of intelligence that you possess.

You roll your eyes at his explanation, his retort going ignored. 

▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅

"Ushiwaka, nice kill!"

The court erupts in wild cheers, though your side of the court is silent apart from the respectful applause towards Shiratorizawa's routinely win. You don't care much for volleyball, have no passion for it, have no interest in it beyond your friends' involvement. Still, you feel solemn at having to see that play out so many times.

You know that Oikawa and Iwaizumi are going to cry. They always do.

A few moments pass and you and the cheer team are free to go. The players are dismissed, first, and then you leave tangled in a mess of bodies squishing between the doors. Once you make it outside, you try to spot Iwaizumi though you're stopped by something else.

Or rather, someone.

"How's my favorite cheerleader?"

You look at Tendou Satori like he's grown a second head. "Shouldn't you be sayin' that to someone from your school instead?" you reply after a tense second of silence passes by.

"Geez. I'm doing just fine too, thanks for asking," he replies as if you've just wounded him with mere words. Tendou used to be one of your few friends during your time as a Shiratorizawa student, however, you've barely been in contact in the last two years apart from him creepily flirting with you during games and having people say 'don't look at him' about him to their children in passing. Your attempts to keep in contact were mostly futile considering your clashing schedules.

However, this doesn't off-put you. It's typical Tendou behavior, rest assured.

"No problem," you reply as sardonically as he did.

"Do you have any plans for later?"

He'll probably ask you to hang out, you think, but that's not a problem. Since you have nothing to do anyway and you don't want to be alone at home, overthinking stuff, it's probably your best option right now. "I don't think so. Why?"

"Don't play coy, [N/n]-chan. We should hang out for old time's sake!" Tendou says in a sing-song voice.

"You have anything in mind?" you lean your figure against the wall slightly. The repetitive cheer dance you had to do was more tiring than usual today, for some reason, and your legs are sore.

"Well actually, I don't. I didn't think I'd get this far."

It isn't unusual for you to be making a blank expression aside from your usual smirk, though seeing Tendou make one is note-worthy if not anything else. At least you've wiped that stupid grin off his face. You rub your temples at his reply regardless, a brief feeling of helplessness at his dumbassery overcoming you. 

"Your dementia aside―" Tendou frowns and feigns heartbreak but deep down you know that it came early with him, "―text me details later."

He cheers up immediately after your confirmation of this spontaneous rendezvous and walks off to mingle with the crowd. You should probably do that, too.

You feel a burning sensation at the nape of your neck. _Someone is watching you._ Though when you look around, it's full of strangers and a mess of white and purple jerseys. You see your teammates, Amari and Tashiro arguing as they delve deeper into the crowd.

As if feeling your stare on him, Tendou turns back around and gives you the metal hand sign along with a gratuitous sticking out of his tongue. You're confused by this gesture but return it reluctantly regardless.

▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅

You're minding your business buying your favorite drink from a vendor machine until you're approached by a sniffling Oikawa. He kind of looks like a perpetually high stoner but you don't say it out loud as to not hurt his already fragile ego and instead pretend that he's not there. Once he roleplayed being deaf, you too can play this game.

He doesn't take this well. "Seriously, [Y/n]? Bastard Ushijima?"

You wince at his whiny tone. To be honest, you don't even know what he's talking about and, on top of that, the Bastard Ushijima nickname is just too funny. Still, you don't want to laugh in his face amid his mental breakdown so you keep your thoughts to yourself. 

"What?" you say, diplomatically.

"I saw you talking to that annoying middle blocker!"

"What's wrong with you," you deadpan. It's not a question, it's a demand. Tendou has been your friend for a while, he already _knows_ this. Or, he would've, if he listened to what you and Iwaizumi talked about most of the time.

Oikawa rubs his allergic reaction looking eyes with his sweaty sleeve and lets out another gross sniffle before ordering the same drink as you. "I'm sorry," he mumbles.

You glance at him, though you neither forgive him nor deny him. He repeats his words as if to give them more weight, more validity, though all you do in response is obnoxiously slurp on your drink through a straw.

"Come on, say something."

"Yea, you seriously poured your heart out here," you comment.

He cracks a small smile, though it slips as quickly as it appears. You narrow your eyes at him. "Did you apologize to Iwaizumi too? You owe it to him."

"Yes, but he left me on 'read'."

 _Classic Iwaizumi_ , you think to yourself as memories of him doing that to you fill your mind. "Well, you should've said it out loud, anyway."

"Probably... but we can't talk. Not in school, at least. I don't know."

You understand, now. And to avoid feeding into his worries, you don't elaborate on what's going on with you and Unknown. As a form of lukewarm reassurance, you give him a half-hug and pat his back. Then, there's another slurp. "Do you know who it is?"

"No. If I did, we wouldn't be dealing with this."

"Tea," you say and after a little while, "period. Let's go back to the bus, they're probably waiting for us."

Oikawa cringes at your unnecessary usage of slang but decides to be a positive person and not say anything regarding your speech patterns.

▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅

Tendou ended up deciding that hanging out at an arcade is the most appropriate activity for you two to indulge in. You're convinced that he's still holding a grudge for the fact that you used to beat him in video games all the time when you were kids, but you digress.

"How's life?" Okay, that was awkward.

"Crazy," you say vaguely. "How's yours?"

"Crazy as well. Could you elaborate?"

"Yes."

...

Tendou lets out a laugh at that, at least. You can count on him to think that the stupid things you say are funny. Once the two of you make it inside, he declares that it's going to be 'his treat' and a part of you wants to be prideful and pay in halves but a bigger part of you likes being a freeloader. With your priorities clearly in order, you allow it.

"So, what did you want to play?" you ask. It's only fair, after all, he's paying.

"Street Fighter!"

"Sick." That game is nostalgic for you, though you probably would've agreed to play one of his deranged dating sims if he asked. Fortunately for you, that's not the case. Plus, they have a version of Street Fighter that you haven't played in this arcade if you recall correctly.

Tendou walks ahead of you until he locates what he was looking for. He rushes off to buy some tokens and you just stand around like a weirdo until his return. Then, inserts the tokens and commands you to pick a character. You easily decide on Chun Li.

"I wanted Chun Li," he whines.

"Then you should've picked first..."

"Shut up," he argues, intelligently, before settling on Juri. You think that she's a bad bitch too, so you don't oppose his pick.

After a short second, you start fighting one-on-one. When you start gaining momentum, you decide to let out a triumphant war cry. "GET HIS ASS BARBZ!"

Tendou halts his movement and while he's in a trance, you continue beating him without a care. "[N/n]..." he begins, clearly touched by something. "I didn't know you were a Barb, too."

"Why did you think I picked Chun Li?" you reply with the same amount of passion.

"[N/n]. Why did you think _I_ wanted Chun Li?"

"Tendou!"

With the game aside, you dramatically embrace each other while crying about something that has to do with Nicki Minaj. Nothing makes sense anymore, but you don't care. After your little moment is over, you depart with nothing more than a salute and a teary eye. Then, you resume your 'gaming sesh' as they call it.

It's an interesting day for you, filled with many wins.

▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅

"My stop is coming up," Tendou announces. "Are you going to be fine alone?"

"Yeah, yeah. Sleep tight, don't let the dead bite," you say in a slightly foreboding manner.

"I'm not going to sleep right now! I'm not a grandma."

The bus comes to a stop and he gives you one last wave before he leaves with the promise of doing this again some time. You wouldn't mind but man, today was tiring. You lean further back into your seat though soon you get restless and pull out your phone if only to avoid doing nothing and spacing out.

You're surprised to see that you have a text from Iwaizumi. Usually, you see texts immediately but it appears that you lost track of time when hanging out with Tendou. It's almost like this entire drama disappeared this week but now, all alone out here, you're all too familiar with it.

 **bruhzumi bruhjime** :  
Oh em gee _(2 hours ago)_  
Where are youuu you usually respond after 0.3 seconds _(30 min ago)_

 **nothing girl** :  
omg iwaizumi r u ok  
do u need help  
blink 2ce if ur kidnapped  
why r u saying oh em gee this isn't like u iwaizumi.

 **bruhzumi bruhjime** :  
Where were you  
Also how are you even going to see if I blink  
I was worried...

 **nothing girl** :  
WE.  
AW  
HE CARES  
i was hanging out with a friend

 **bruhzumi bruhjime** :  
Sure 

**nothing girl** :  
:/  
anyways  
what did u want to tell me

 **bruhzumi bruhjime** :  
Well  
This is awkward Believe it -Naruto  
But you know that Aobajohsai gossip insta account right?

 **nothing girl** :  
yea  
why

 **bruhzumi bruhjime** :  
You might want to check their latest post  
It's so creepy

Uh oh. That sounds like bad news. Regardless, you open your app and type out the stupid username, then anxiously wait for it to load. A pit forms at the bottom of your stomach as you see your face in the thumbnail picture, along with some random football guy whose name you don't even remember. It looks like you two are making out but you know that this isn't what happened, it's just a weird angle.

It's not your first appearance on this account, though there is something much different this time. Something more sinister lurks within. 

As you scroll through the pictures, you see one from last week, when Iwaizumi was walking you home. It seems to be taken from a distance. The one after that is from today, again slightly obscured and blurry as if the person was hiding, from when you and Oikawa reconciled. The final one is you and Tendou hugging at the arcade, just a few hours ago.

_These are creep-shots._

_Someone is watching you, always **always always**._

**dramajohsai** | [L/n] [Y/n] changes boyfriends like nose wipes 🤧🤧 #seijohslut

How lame. Not only did they use a hashtag, but they always pull that stunt on this account―slut-shaming girls for living their lives and twisting things to fit some sort of dramatic agenda. Regardless, out of curiosity, you couldn't help reading a few comments.

 **randomincel** | u can't trust bitches man

 **amari.s** | 🤧🤧🤧🤧  
|| **dramajohsai** | @/amari.s 🤧🤧🤧🤧🤧🤧🤧🤧

 **randomgirl** | EW SHIRATORIZAWA RLY??? oikawa4ever

 **idiotbitch** | i saw her having sex once in public

 **KYOUTANIKEN10RO** | SHUT UP WHO GIVES A SHJIT!!!!

**UNKNOWN NUMBER** :  
I'm everywhere.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> we love a good instagram moment
> 
> sorry if there are are any typos :bald: im too tired to proofread and i need attention


	8. Blues & Clues

'Unknown' is a cautious person, that much you know. However, their desperate attempts to intimidate you will lead to their downfall. Something weird lingers in the air―maybe it's because you're earlier arriving at school than usual and everyone is already strangely sweaty.

You suppose your mind is somewhere else as you make your way through the school. Iwaizumi looks solemn and less talkative today, probably because of the loss, and you admit you've been distracted lately anyway. As you're weaving through the other students, you suddenly feel your friend zipping your bag. "It was open," he informs you.

"Thanks... I didn't notice."

The two of you lock narrowed eyes and it's like a silent exchange is passed. Did someone else open it, or is that too silly? Regardless, Iwaizumi decides to steer the conversation into a different but still relevant direction. "Hey, how'd you get enough people to report that creepy post?"

You don't feel like explaining to Iwaizumi anything surrounding otome games, their gifts in exchange for a Twitter follow, nor Tendou's obsession as well as his numerous fake accounts. Instead, you settle on saying something much more comprehensible rather than trying to explain the organized mass report. "I have er, _connections_."

"Okay," he says. You know that he knows that you're hiding something trivial and something that does not need to be hidden, but he decides to humor you and stay silent. In the corridors, his classroom comes into view first and it's time to say goodbye until lunch hour. "Stay safe," he advises sagely.

"You too." You smirk in return. 

You think that there's no gain in staying motionless and playing someone else's game, dancing to their tune. It might be risky, but you don't mind being knocked down a few pegs if it means uncovering some kind of revelation. 

According to your observations, whenever you come into contact with Oikawa in front of whoever his little admirer is, they let you know. Be it with threats or nasty publicity stunts. So, today's experiment will determine if they're someone in your class. 

Most of your suspects aren't even in the same school-year as you, but everyone is to be suspected with this lack of clues and making the list narrower wouldn't hurt. When you enter the classroom, everyone seems to be observing you with a mixture of pity and loathing. You disregard them.

Kanamori, the vice-captain of the cheer club, walks up to you. "[L/n]-san, I'm so sorry about what happened with the pictures! Are you okay?! The angles looked weird and you were getting these threats recently, too."

"It's. Okay. I took care of it," you drawl out awkwardly, somewhat startled by her sudden spurt of energy. Kanamori is usually a withdrawn individual much like yourself, to be honest, you're kind of surprised she even knows that the gossip account exists.

"Hmm. If you need anything, tell me and I'll try to take care of it," she offers.

You think about dissuading her and getting her off your case, though you're suddenly struck with an idea. "There's something you could do for me."

"Right now?"

"Yeah. Do you know any of the mods for the account?"

"No, not really," she says. "I'll ask around for you, okay?" She seems to realize that no one would give you answers considering the recent incident and you're thankful that you didn't need to spell it out for her.

"Thanks. And, if you get the chance, ask Amari about it. I think she's friends with one of them." On cue, the bell rings and the once-standing students disperse and sit down. Again, neglecting your usual seat, you provocatively sit down right next to Oikawa and offer him a cheeky grin.

"What are you doing?" he whispers, disconcerted by your reckless actions.

You lean into him slightly, your eyes darting around the room for any suspicious onlooker. Though, this time, you don't get the feeling of someone's gaze boring into you. "Just a little something."

▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅

"You look like you're in a good mood today," Setsuna remarks as the club is doing their daily lap around the gym. The past few days, she'd managed to outperform you if only by little, but you seem to be as good as ever today.

"I am." Your lack of text messages has never looked so appealing before. Narrowly avoiding Oikawa in the hallways yet communicating with him as normal during class and you were yet to be virtually berated by some pathetic, gutless idiot. You're kind of thriving.

Even Setsuna has no idea what you've been doing all day, confused and distrustful as the two of you are speaking. You glance at her from the corner of your eye, though the silence remains until she speaks up once more. "Why's that?"

"You have some nerve talkin' to me after making fun of me in the comments."

Setsuna's face flushes as if she's embarrassed all of a sudden. "You saw that? Er, _anyway_. Being on a team is kinda like family, you know? I was just curious what's up with our captain."

You roll your eyes at her excuse for a speech about friendship. Perhaps if she underwent some Yu-Gi-Oh induced psychosis, you would've bought her words of love as earnest, however, as of now, they have as much value as your apologies when you're late to class. 

"You don't have to be such a bitch, you know?" Tashiro cuts in all of a sudden. Great.

"Yeah, [L/n]-san," Setsuna agrees.

"No, I was talking about you."

Now they're going at it. You conspicuously separate from them as if to not get caught in their fire. Just as you're trying to disappear as casually as possible, Kanamori calls you over and so you're delighted to pretend that this is where you were heading in the first place. 

When you make your way in front of her she urges you to come closer and you comply. "You were right. One of the mods is this girl Kojima that Setsuna hangs out with. But what are you gonna do now anyway? I saw that the picture got taken down."

"Oh, nothing," you say, listless.

Kanamori appears confused by your vague answer but doesn't press on. "Well, good luck I guess. The coach's watching, let's pretend we were doing squats."

"Alright, milady Evil Genius."

▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅

"Meiko-chan," one of the second-year cries as he waddles inside the classroom. "An upperclassman is looking for you!"

The so-called Kojima Meiko lets out a grunt but smiles regardless. Her goon/simp leads the way, dragging her by the wrist. She fantasizes about seeing some hot guy with glistening abs, like Oikawa, but is instead met with your deadly smile. Damn Kanamori, fuckin' snitch.

The goon skittles away, leaving the two of you face-to-face. "So, you were looking for me?" Her voice is familiar and briefly, you wonder where you've heard it and then you remember the conversation you overheard in the bathroom between Setsuna and a stranger. They're the same person.

You lean your weight against the wall cooly. "You know why I'm here, don't you? I can see it in the constipated expression you're making."

"It's about the photo, right? I didn't take it or anything, so let's not cause any trouble," Kojima says warily.

"We won't have any trouble if you show me the person who sent it to you."

She tilts her head to the side and considers you. A part of her wants to argue with your conditions, but she knows that this won't do her any favors. Finally, Kojima nods, though hesitantly. 

You observe her as she nervously fiddles and scrolls through her phone until she manages to find it. "Eh. I think it's some kinda throwaway account. Are you sure you want it?"

"Yes."

After your confirmation, she turns her phone so it faces your direction and the username flashes above her direct messages. You can see the photos, though you try to focus your attention on the nonsensical string of numbers and letters, and write it down on your hand.

▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅

Oikawa pulls your arm and looks at the symbols dancing across it, written clumsily. "Woah, what's that? Looks familiar."

"Your stalker, apparently," you announce nonchalantly. "Hm. I should get this over with right now since I have their account and all."

The boy opens his mouth and then closes it, opting to merely observe your actions rather than question what you're doing. You quickly search for _his_ phone number. Now, you've met some crazy people but this internet scammer from Tokyo takes the cake. 

You don't know his name but long story short, he was trying to scam your ex-boyfriend Terushima Yuji with a fake paid Snapchat and you ended up sending him certain pictures of yourself to upload on it, just to mess with him. Since then, he'd declared that he owed you a favor.

Until now you've had no particular use for his strange skills but it seems that no good deed is really left unpunished.

 **Truck freak** :  
yo  
been a while

 **Crazy ass:**  
hi  
yea lole Pepe sex.  
you need sumn?

 **Truck freak** :  
u know how ur good at that computer stuff

 **Crazy ass** :  
i'm. aware yes

 **Truck freak** :  
and that u owe me a favor..

 **Crazy ass** :  
its not like you to beat around the bush  
? what do you want

 **Truck freak** :  
could u find someone's address for me via an instagram acc??

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> y/n is finally making her move!! :O
> 
> IMPORTANT FOR THOSE CONFUSED: hacker guy is an mc from another book of mine on Wattpad that i unpublished to rewrite it, his cameo/help is kind of like an easter egg for my OG readers 


	9. Celebrations & Miscues

**Truck freak** :  
could u find someone's address for me via an instagram acc??

 **Crazy ass** :  
ya  
not rn  
im in school  
ill get back to u later

 **Truck freak** :  
thank u god thank u

 **Crazy ass** :  
im an atheist  
The Amazing Atheist

 **Truck freak** :   
'let me play devil's advocate real quick' looking ass

 **Crazy ass** :  
lmao  
_Seen_

Oikawa, who's been doing nothing more than leering over your shoulder in a creepy manner during the entirety of this conversation, decides to speak up all of a sudden. "You're kind of awesome, [L/n]," he compliments in a wannabe suave manner. 

You scrunch up your nose as if you're at risk of contracting cooties. "Thanks."

"Let's hit up Iwaizumi and celebrate after school?"

You're a bit hesitant to accept. Nothing has been set in stone yet, though it's been a while since Oikawa has made you cringe or given Iwaizumi violent urges so you suppose it's only fair to accept. "Oh sure, did you finally become tall enough to reach the alcohol and now you're lookin' for an excuse to flaunt it or something?"

"[N/n]-chan, you know that I've been able to reach it since our first year," he insists. Oikawa kind of reminds you of a helpless toddler sometimes, but there are other times when you see a sliver of bad anime villain vibes in him as well. Though, those moments tend to be on the court and definitely not on school grounds.

You roll your eyes at his childish demeanor. You give him one last enlightening retort before shrugging. "Whatever."

▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅

You and Iwaizumi can only stare as another horrible horror movie plays out in front of you. You've lost count of how many you watched. "What was this movie called again?"

"Down aka The Shaft," Iwaizumi replies incoherently. You think that it's a strange name, though you don't say anything and resume drinking the beverage in your hands instead. At that, you can only respond with a solemn nod and Oikawa reemerges from the hallway with more popcorn in his hands.

"It's kind of scary," he argues. "Like, there was one jumpscare that made me jump."

"That's kind of the point," Iwaizumi says again. You think that in his attempts to be serious, he just ends up being hilarious and so you laugh at what he said.

"No, Oikawa's right. It was so scary that I burped." You recall the moment clearly. 

"Ew, so that was the strange smell from before. Anyways." Iwaizumi easily dismisses your gas problems and when Oikawa returns back to his spot in between the two of you, he starts stealing popcorn out of his friend's bowl and proceeds with his useless rant. "What even is this movie? It's so stupid. I mean, a murderous elevator, really scary. Yeah right, the things I dream about are scarier, like once I had a dream that Oikawa liked BDSM. But, enough of that. Why is it even called Down aka The Shaft? What kind of stupid name is that?"

You can only stare at him with a vacant expression after his outburst. Then, Oikawa decides to join in on the conversation. "Actually, its original name was Down but then they renamed it to The Shaft for the DVD edition. Don't complain if you don't know the full story, Evilzumi. And! I would _never_ be into BDSM."

"Geez sorry, I didn't know this movie means _that much_ to you," Iwaizumi replies smugly. Then, as revenge, Oikawa throws popcorn in his eye. 

A food-fight ensures after this minuscule action. Feeling excluded from the fun, you examine them as you try to pick a side. On one hand, Iwaizumi went on a deranged tangent for no apparent reason (as well as a mention of his disturbing dream that you don't want to think about) and on the other hand, Oikawa knows Down aka The Shaft lore. You're having a hard time deciding which one of these sins is more forgivable until you finally decide that Iwaizumi appears less guilty.

With a warcry that sounds more like you're crying out in pain, you take the now-empty bowl and fling it over Oikawa's head. For good measure, you announce: "Fatality, KO!"

Iwaizumi high-fives you with his buttery fingers and you smirk, proud of yourself. 

"[L/n], you're such a bully! You always pick Iwa-chan over me." Oikawa pouts and then goes to grab the bowl over his head, ready to chug it over your head in retaliation. Having seen this coming, you swat it away with one skillful movement of your hand.

Oikawa starts picking ammo off the ground to attack you again but Iwaizumi, your loyal knight in shining armor, puts him in a headlock and smiles at you. Oikawa tries to fight him off but the vibration of your phone pulls you all out of this pointless scuffle. Iwaizumi backs away and Oikawa dramatically drops the popcorn back down.

You reach for it and open the notification. It's from your anonymous friend, lovingly dubbed 'Crazy ass'. God, you adore that guy.

 **Crazy ass**  
got the address  
XXXX XXX XXXX  
they logged in from here like once 2 years ago randomly fucked off and came back to mess w/ you

You flash them your phone screen. "I don't recognize it."

Iwaizumi shakes his head to indicate that he doesn't either and Oikawa's eyebrows furrow in thought until he finally speaks up again. "I think that's a library. It's opposite our way to school."

"What? _Fuck._ " Out of some uncharacteristic rage, you throw your phone with full strength though, with almost impressive athleticism, Oikawa catches it mid-air. He somehow manages to flex his biceps and put on an insincere smile even though he's fully aware that neither of you is going to be flattered.

He's scared again, you can tell. Though, can you blame him?

"Easy, tiger," he jokes before returning the device to you. 

"I thought I had 'em. When I get my hands on this overcautious bitch I'll _ruin_ them."

"Yeah, it's almost like they could see it coming," Iwaizumi comments. "Gives me chills."

This is far from over, you can't give up now that this person is trying to play games with you. Still, a provided address is still a solid clue. Even if they didn't go to their house, that doesn't mean they necessarily went out of their way to go too far, either. The culprit must be someone that lives nearby that library, you decide.

"Once two years ago?" Oikawa asks suddenly. "I think they tried to follow my private, that's why I recognized the username when you had it written down. Or maybe I'm just going crazy, haha."

You stare at him. "Why do you never tell us things until it's too late?"

His smile falls and then turns into a more dejected one. He distances himself from you and Iwaizumi like his mere presence is a hazard. 

**Truck Freak** :  
can you get the password?

 **Crazy ass** :  
i already got it  
matthew6:33  
weird religious shit  
what have you gotten yourself into l/n?  
_Seen_

Great, so Oikawa's stalker is the kind of person that has a biblical quote as their password. The cherry on top.

You suddenly remember that list you made of suspicious people. It's in your Literature notebook. Going over your discarded backpack, you hunch over it as you pull it out and immediately open the last page, where you remember writing it down.

_You shiver. The last page is ripped out._

▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅

The next day at school, you're worn out after practice but persist towards one of the school exits. Far away, you can see Tashiro walking ahead, and Setsuna trailing behind her as if avoiding her. You have no idea who lives in that part of town, so this is a curious occurrence. 

Setsuna throws an almost paranoid look over her shoulder and then she spots you. You wonder if she's trying to be polite and get into your good graces after yesterday's conversation when she halts completely and waits for you to catch up. "Are you following me or something? I'm sorry about the comment, okay?!"

"Um, no?" you say, giving her a weird look. 

Iwaizumi catches up to you, seemingly out of breath. "Hey [L/n], what are you―"

"Yo, I was just wondering where you are. We're going to the library, aren't we?" you tell him smoothly.

"I totally forgot." That came out fake, though you don't criticize him for it... externally.

Setsuna observes both of you as if you're up to no good. Still, she says nothing and the three of you begin walking ahead. She stays silent and you and Iwaizumi's chatter fills the air. Eventually, you all reach the bus stop, only to see Tashiro already there.

"This bus takes a while," Setsuna announces awkwardly. There's already tension in the air, apart from your relaxed lingering near Iwaizumi.

"Oh, really? I've never taken it." After you admit that, you take out a cigarette and light it up.

Tashiro gapes at you. "You're smoking again."

You look towards her and your stare is so intense that she feels nervous under your scrutiny. The atmosphere becomes even tenser, if possible. 

"S-Sorry, Ayano mentioned it. I shouldn't have said that. I mean, it's just bad for your health and- and we're doing cheer, it could make you underperform. Or, if you get caught, you could get a penalty from the school. You know what, I'll just stop talking," she rambles.

Amari laughs at her, it sounds mocking and cruel. Though, considering what she's said, you can't exactly blame her for that reaction. "Geez, you suck."

"Iwaizumi-san, [L/n]-san." Masazumi's voice resounds from behind you and you slightly jerk up, startled, though, by the time he joins your uncanny circle of people that definitely _shouldn't_ be hanging out together, you've recovered. "And Amari-chan, you're as cute as ever."

"Thanks. Finally, someone with taste."

Masazumi lets out an unsure laugh at her remark. You look at her narrowed eyes towards you, you don't even know if she's dissing Iwaizumi or being jealous because of Oikawa but she definitely thought she did something with this comment. You say nothing.

"I don't think I've seen you guys on this bus stop before." Masazumi nods at both of you. He then throws in one suggestive speculation to dissuade the tension. "A special occasion?" 

"Nope. Just going to _this library_ ," you say, foreboding.

Iwaizumi side-eyes you and tries to hold back in an eye-roll. No one reacts at the mention of said library, apart from Masazumi who continues the conversation. "Really? Why's he coming with you, if it's not a special occasion?"

"Because it gets dark early nowadays," Iwaizumi blurts out. Seemingly satisfied with his reply, you nod in agreement.

"Aw, you guys are no fun. You're a chivalrous person, Iwaizumi-san."

You grimace as you remember all the times he has wrestled with you over something minor and irrelevant. He probably does this to pass the time, to be honest. "Him? No way. Chivalry is dead." 

The bus halts in front of you, with an unpleasant screech coming from the asphalt. All of you enter. The ride is silent, apart from the sound of Tashiro's fingers tapping against the screen as she types her soul away on her phone. 

The stop for the library comes sooner than expected and Tashiro immediately goes to leave. Iwaizumi subtly nudges your hand to remind you that you should follow after her, but you squeeze his hand as a silent way of telling him to stay still as you think things through. 

You know that you've reached your destination, but there are two options right now as you notice that Setsuna isn't making any move to leave. Will you feign missing the stop and follow after Setsuna, or will you go after Tashiro?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> haha... the dreaded poll time begins
> 
> before i link the poll here are a few things:
> 
> yes, there is a right and wrong option. both choices unlock one clue, one of which is BAIT and the one of which is A REAL CLUE. however i won't be announcing if you guys picked the right one after the decision is made.
> 
> majority rules. decide based on who you find more suspicious based on their actions in this book altogether. Good luck lol!!!!
> 
> reminder that:  
> \- tashiro is two-faced towards the reader and is jealous of her/thinks of her as a slut too and is a bigger fan of oikawa than setsuna is  
> -setsuna told her friend not to worry about the pervert because nothing will happen to her and is strangely competitive over the title of 'club captain' 
> 
> https://www.strawpoll.me/19808347


	10. Slip-Ups & Religions

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **!! TRIGGER WARNING: NON-CONSENSUAL DRUG USE & A NEAR-DROWNING EXPERIENCE. If you're sensitive to these topics, please don't read this chapter past the SECOND SEGMENT !!**

You and Iwaizumi stay still in your places. Tashiro disappears out the door, and you try to look as natural as possible and when she's gone within a blink, the bus starts rattling again and moves forward. Setsuna tilts her head to the side, then speaks. "You missed the stop that goes to the library."

This is the moment when you realize how easy it is to lie and put on a facade.

You slap your forehead and close your eyes. In a manner that's as believable as possible, you declare yourself stupid for such a mistake. Iwaizumi says nothing about the ordeal and Setsuna shrugs, disinterested in your affairs. Then, she remembers something and turns towards Masazumi.

"Hey, you get off on the last stop too, don't you?"

"Yeah." He makes a weird expression and then feigns being spiritually wounded, or something. "You didn't forget about our date, right?"

"What, that's today? I must've forgotten. But we don't have to cancel," she says wryly. Setsuna looks disturbed, but you don't know why that is. Is it her tardiness that's throwing her off or is it possible that Masazumi lied? 

"Why―"

"Hey, are you sure you agreed for _today_ , Amari?" you question, out of the blue. There's something suspicious and off about this situation, though you can't place exactly what it is. You glance towards Masazumi quickly and he appears confused.

"Maybe," she says in a non-committal manner. "Shouldn't have. My parents usually do a night prayer today." The last part is said towards Masazumi more so rather than towards you, and he nods in understanding.

"Oh, are you catholic?" you question.

Setsuna looks irritated by your strangely talkative behavior. "Hey, has anyone told you that you're one nosy _bitch_?"

"Maybe." You mirror her words with a smirk on your face.

When the bus arrives and the doors fly open, you give both of them one last look and Iwaizumi trails behind you. Once you're on solid ground again, he decides to insightfully say: "You're not very subtle, are you?"

"What?"

"If― If it's one of them, they'll know you're onto them," he says like he's stricken by panic after having seen your head-on, reckless behavior. "Who knows what'll happen?"

"That's kind of the point. This person," you trail off in contemplation, looking for the right word to describe it, "they're afraid of me."

Iwaizumi then decides to change the topic of conversation to make sense of the events that just passed. It feels like something is in front of you, after this so-called investigation, but you don't know what it is that's stranger. Setsuna has been acting like a hazard lately, paradox and bipolar, and there's something about Masazumi's presence beside her that felt odd that day. "I didn't know they're going out."

"Me neither," you agree. You know that Setsuna invites him to her parties, but surely it's for popularity points rather than some sort of substantial relationship. And he should know that it's Oikawa that she has a crush on, right?

"Something here smells."

"Okay, I did _not_ burp this time," you say, defensive all of a sudden.

"I meant figuratively."

"Oh. Right, of course. No, definitely."

Maybe you've been self-centered all this time. People outside of you interact with each other, that's only natural. You start doubting if you're on the right track or if you've been running in circles, away from everyone else, all this time.

▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅

The next time before morning practice, when you arrive, there's some sort of commotion going on. You can hear it outside the changing rooms, the shrill of Tashiro's voice as she tries to outyell Setsuna's deeper one. There's some sort of smack when you enter and it echoes through the hollow walls.

You don't like being in the changing room. It's been a chore to come here almost every day after the little _accident_ , as your Literature teacher calls it―but like, one of these chores that cause you mental anguish when you think about actually doing them. 

You look at Setsuna's bruised knuckles. "I'm so tired of your annoying ass! You're a first-year, you just got here, I'll ruin your fucking life―"

"Yo, chill. You're not a white boy, no need to hit the walls," you intervene. 

"Great. The other idiot came," Setsuna retorts, offended by your mere presence it seems. The other girls simply gape at the three of you like you're a circus attraction. Might as well be at this point.

"Hmph. Yeah, exactly. You should listen to Captain," Tashiro agrees smugly. You give her a look. Acting slick when you were five moments away from getting your ass handed to you doesn't seem like the most appropriate thing to do.

Kanamori, who arrives a few seconds after you, decides that she's more suitable to handle this situation. That is, taking into account that the two preparators don't have any visible agenda towards her. "The boys were saying that there's a fight going on?"

"This bitch thinks that I―!"

As she begins her accusation, Setsuna flings her arm wildly in Tashiro's direction. There's a flinch, then a wince, coming from the younger girl and she stumbles back. Her legs get caught up as she trips over what you recognize as Setsuna's bag. It falls to the side, unceremonious, and then a bunch of open lidded pill containers slip out for everyone to see. 

Setsuna's complaints get caught in her throat and she buries them, discards them, and then forgets about them. There's a new dilemma for her to get caught up in. "I'll fucking kill you for this, Tashiro. _Do not look at me like that, I'm not crazy._ "

"No one's looking at you," Kanamori says in a placid tone. "If... something's wrong," she tries to be diplomatic, now, "it's a good thing that you're taking these."

"No, no, no!" Setsuna pulls on her pigtails so roughly, you think that her hair might fall off. It's her own hair that she's damaging. You wonder what she'd be capable of doing to someone else when throwing such a fit. "These are for partying, nothing else, I swear."

You don't believe that. No one says anything as she kicks her bag and containers away, then storms off. The last you hear from her is her slamming the door, rattling it off its hinges with the amount of sheer force she put into this small action.

"Um, good morning," Kanamori says like she's making an announcement. It's obvious that she's trying to diffuse the atmosphere by saying something semi-humorous. Everyone says it back, unsure of what to make of this situation. 

You consider asking Tashiro what it is that she said to her to make her blow up like that but then decide against it. Rather, as Ayano's trailing behind your small group when you start walking towards the gym, you decide to press her for answers instead. 

"Psst, Ayano. What'd Tashiro say to Amari?"

Ayano tends to have a blank expression when speaking to others, lips pressed into a firm line and glazed eyes. This time, however, when she replies you can see a slight panic in her eyes. 

_"She thinks that Amari-san sent you all the threats._ And then she went all psycho when Tashiro brought it up."

You scrunch up your facial features. If Setsuna is taking some kind of medication like these pill containers would imply or if she's off her medication, either way, her contradictory behavior would make more sense. That would also explain her seemingly mixing up days and dates. However, Tashiro has no reason to accuse her so blindly. She hasn't seen half the things Setsuna has done that are suspicious, after all.

Everyone is doing too much right now, giving you an overwhelming feeling of sensory overload. And still, they're not doing _enough_ to let you get a solid lead on one person, in particular, just one target to lock on. It's not satisfactory, having to focus on all of these characters around you that do as they please.

"Do you think she's skipping?" Ayano asks, suddenly.

"Probably not. Her stuff is still in there, she'd have to come back."

 **UNKNOWN**  
I don't take kindly to rivalry, did you know that?

▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅

When practice ends, things seem to have calmed down. No one even addresses what has happened with Setsuna's outburst past the first few comments uttered in hushed whispers, and you're fine with that. It feels almost insidious to discuss it on a further level or to speculate what might be going on with her.

Still, that girl has a dangerous temper that has finally surfaced. If her personality is ugly then this must be an even uglier side of her that she has tucked far away and thrown out of reach. 

Her stuff is gone and the benches are differently placed when you return. Like they've been kicked and otherwise abused. You finish your business quickly, take a prolonged sip from your water bottle, and go out as you do every other day.

At first, everything feels like it usually does. The concrete floor under your feet, the slight breeze of the hallways when you pass by an open window, the metallic door handle when you twist it and enter a few minutes late. It's all routine.

During Literature, you're having trouble staying focused though something relaxes the soreness of your shoulders and any feeling of stress you were previously feeling. It's like this whole ordeal suddenly doesn't feel as urgent as it did before.

Maybe you overreacted?

When the teacher calls on you, apparently you don't hear it because you're three minutes into a lecture by the time you register her voice. "Can we open the window? It's so hot in here," you ask irrelevantly.

Your teacher goes off again. Kanamori, who sits by the window, complies with your request and reaches to open it. You stare ahead, you feel so warm, but you can also feel yourself shiver.

▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅

You don't remember getting near the pool for PE class, nor putting on your swimsuit, and anything else that happened in between is hazy at best. It's inside, of course, though the weather is so nice today that you feel like it should be held outside instead. You forget that your school doesn't have an outdoor pool. It's like you're stuck in a limbo of unreality and you're vaguely aware of it but not enough to alert you to come to your senses and run back home. 

"Are you okay?" Oikawa asks, concerned. 

You offer him nothing more than what sounds like a positive hum. He doesn't retreat or leave you be on your own, though it's not like he's saying something to you either. Still, the feeling of his eyes boring and burning into your skin only intensifies this warm feeling. It's pleasant but it's also dangerous.

You want to **_claw your skin off_.**

Filled with the desire to cool off, it's almost coincidental that the teacher calls out your name at this very moment. You think that you're supposed to be doing some sort of exercise or another form of standardized testing, but you don't care. The only thing that matters to you right now is jumping right in. 

Oikawa, still, says nothing. He thinks that you've been acting strangely since your first class, though it's been nothing visible enough for him to get a clue as to why you would be behaving this way. He observes as you cautiously make your way towards the designated area until you stop walking or doing anything else in particular. It's like everything around you has come to a standstill.

"Hello? Anyone home? You're not supposed to jump from there," the teacher bellows, pointing towards the marked spot in front of the pool. You're standing at the edge of the side, rather than where you're supposed to be.

The boy crosses and uncrosses his arms with the body language of someone very confused and agitated. He doesn't sit down, rather, he comes near but not enough to get yelled at by the teacher for disturbing something. 

You don't feel your consciousness slipping at all. It happens abruptly and with one last spasm of your left hand, your legs buckle as well as all of your senses disappearing and your balance implodes, body falling the pool in one violent motion. 

Even if you're unaware of it, the sensation that engulfs you is cold.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hiii
> 
> we finished the first part of this story, yay!!!
> 
> i think i was going to say something else but oi forgot
> 
> oh wale i guess i'll self promo instead read my atsumu fic caligula cause it updated yesterday, if you like the twins or my writing or whatever i guess peace


	11. Downfalls & Cascades

When you wake up, you're confused. Your head is splitting with a headache, though you don't recall anything prior. Where even are you? Everything feels a bit too fuzzy, though you're laying on something solid and cold. You clench and unclench your fingers as to get a grasp for a few seconds and when you finally turn your head, you see Oikawa there. 

He looks like he's about to cry, though he's barely holding it in. Whatever happened that led you here, in this state, he must be blaming himself for it.

"What happened?" you croak out.

You see Oikawa's shoulders jerk, startled by the sound of your voice. He hasn't been acting like himself, though you think that he'd be insane if he could. 

"Nurse says you passed out due to exhaustion, or something. But that's not true, is it?"

When you try to sit up, your movements are too sudden and your headache only worsens. You wince in response as Oikawa observes you cautiously, a weary frown etched over his face. Your momentary amnesia, as well as this supposed blackout that happened, leads you to think that you were most likely roofied.

It has to be Setsuna, doesn't it? She was the last person in the changing rooms and you were most likely drugged after taking a sip of your water, she's supposedly religious, she's always had a crush on Oikawa, it only makes sense.

Still, it's not like you have some sort of solid evidence towards her. You could try to get some sort of connection between her and the phone number, but it'd probably be too hard to achieve or lead to some kind of dead end. With a grumble and a wiggle of your toes (disgusting) as to regain some feeling in your feet, you finally sit up. 

"I'm going to walk you home," Oikawa says, informatively. 

You don't respond to him, reaching to grab your shoes. God, your head does hurt _a lot_. Once you have your foot briefly inside, you immediately feel something cold and hard grazing it. A bit scared, you turn your shoe over and watch as a bunch of glass shards fall onto the floor.

"What the― Who the hell was in here except you, Oikawa?" You continue thrusting your shoe until all of it falls out as you ask this, then proceed to do the same thing with the other one. Though your attitude remains haughty, there's still a sliver of visible panic in your eyes.

_Someone is **following** you._

"No one except me." He lowers his head. "I don't know if someone came in when I was in the toilet though. It _really_ is all my fault, huh?"

But this isn't the right way to think. These actions are related to him, that much is undeniable, but he's not supposed to bear any guilt or liability. It's not like Oikawa randomly decided to be as popular and admired as he is. 

"No," is apparently all you have to say on the matter. You're in desperate need of a rest.

▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅

Your walk home with Oikawa is silent. You feel like you've come back to your senses, but not quite. Not enough to make worthy observations or musings, anyway, and it's not like you want to, considering this headache of yours. The most difficult part seems to be getting your key inside the lock, but otherwise, nothing out of the ordinary happens. 

_You feel eyes on you. What's real and what's a figment of your imagination?_

Oikawa says something about getting you painkillers. You're too busy trying to fall back asleep, stuffing your face against the pillow when the opportunity first arises, to pay him any mind. Every sound and shuffle of his feet grates on your nerves, though you keep your thoughts to yourself as to not say something you might regret.

He's been over enough times to know the general layout of your house, though you don't think that he's ever required any knowledge regarding your medicine cabinet. Regardless, he looks around for a bit and refrains from asking any questions as to not bother you. A loud crash resounds through your apartment and you can make out Oikawa making some sort of weird yelp. He's so unintentionally funny sometimes.

After he hastily returns the stuff he dropped back to the way it was, you take your painkiller. Nothing happens, apart from Oikawa saying something you don't quite catch. You drift off to sleep to the sound of some inane TV show he decided to entertain himself with.

You've had a bad day.

▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅

Iwaizumi is worried sick. He heard rumors going around about you passing out in the middle of a PE lesson and one of your classmates even mentioned you acting oddly before the incident. According to what he heard, you collapsed near the pool and almost drowned. Thankfully, Oikawa had saved you, but after he carried you to the infirmary, no one heard anything from either of you.

He tried texting you, but you've yet to respond. Iwaizumi doesn't even know if you're fine or not, right now. Of course, he also tried contacting Oikawa, but he seldom checks his phone these days and for good reason. 

The most worrying part is probably that Oikawa is yet to show up at practice. It's not like him to skip, rather, he always stays more than recommended and practices more than needed. That's the kind of person he is―overkill. 

Just as Iwaizumi is about to accidentally let a sigh slip out, Kyoutani's ferocious visage comes into view quite suddenly. He makes a few twitchy movements as if surrounding him and Iwaizumi can't help raising a brow. He is not in the mood to play associations right now.

"How's [L/n]?" the younger boy asks, finally, after a silence that felt forever lasting. 

Iwaizumi frowns. "I don't really know."

"There's something weird going on in this school," Kyoutani speaks again, even though Iwaizumi didn't expect him to. His remark is said with caution.

"Why do you say that?" Well, it's quite obvious that you got all those threats a while ago and suddenly, everyone knew. Though the other things that have happened were mostly behind closed doors, so Iwaizumi is curious why he's saying this all of a sudden.

Kyoutani scratches his neck, clearly uncomfortable. Of course, if it had been anyone else―be it Hanamaki or God help him, Oikawa―he wouldn't be mentioning any of this. But even if he's not a talkative person, Iwaizumi is someone he respects. "Amari is in my class, she picked a fight with an underclassman and then left school. Now, something's up with [L/n]. It's unsafe."

"Are you saying that Amari has something to do with this? [L/n] has been getting harassed." Iwaizumi is still in the dark about what has transpired today. Maybe getting an outsider's perspective on all of this would be insightful. 

The delinquent appears to be tired from talking, however. He's not the most sociable person, to begin with and Iwaizumi just shot a rather loaded question at him. His expression goes from irritated to worn out and he ponders it for a minute until he finally admits what he wanted to say to begin with.

"Amari is a psycho. It'd be easy to frame her for something."

Iwaizumi observes him warily. He seems to be suggesting some kind of conspiracy in Amari's favor, though so far she has been the most neurotic suspect. Could there be some truth to his words, or is it just an incorrect hunch?

After their brief but still somewhat meaningful exchange, practice proceeds as normal. Still, a melancholic atmosphere looms in the gym―without Oikawa's often annoying presence, things just don't feel right. This despondent feeling doesn't go away after when he's walking home without you by his side.

He makes a slight detour, looking around the buildings. Miyagi is pretty at night. Iwaizumi then decides to send you another message for whenever you're able to see them.

▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅

The buzz of the TV is gone. You're still groggy, though a slight pain in your temple lingers. You realize that it's your ringtone that awoke you. Oikawa is nowhere to be seen and you briefly wonder if he has left, though that's most likely not the case. He'd promised to stay until you were in the right state of mind, as it was dangerous.

Even so, he seems to be out of your room. You bend over where you had left it, staring at the unknown phone number that glares back at you. Squinting, you try to think it over―on one hand, you're still exhausted and don't feel like dealing with it. But on the other hand, it _could_ be important, or simply someone that you know whose number you don't have.

What will you do?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hi sorry that i didn't update for a week i just didn't feel like it (also we're getting to its part of the story where everything will slowly start making sense so i guess im just being careful for that)
> 
> anyways
> 
> POLL TIME!!!! one of these options has a negative consequence even if it doesn't seem that important
> 
> https://www.strawpoll.me/19915430


	12. Deuces & Dices

You think about it for a minute. Well, whatever. Your life is already going down the drain, you might as well answer the call and to say that you're not curious would be a lie. With slight hesitance, you put your phone against your ear and wait for someone to speak. After a prolonged amount of silence, you call out towards them. "Hey?"

"Oh, hey. So how are we going to do this?" The person on the other line has a deep voice that slightly creeps you out. 

You frown. "Going to do what?"

"Kitten, no need to be shy." You cringe. He must have the wrong number. "I saw your advert."

"I―"

"[L/n] [Y/n], phone sex, right?" He seems to disregard your interruption. 

Your eyes widen and your grip tightens around the device. That's not _right_ , you haven't done anything to piss off Unknown lately. It's not that you care about people thinking that you're a whore or whatever, being sexually active as a woman shouldn't be something shameful. However, you can't have people―adult men, most likely―harassing you on the phone. "Are you messing with me right now? Who's this?"

"None of your business, kitten. Is this some kind of misunderstanding?" 

You feel sick to your stomach. Feeling like you don't want to hear any more than necessary, you decide to ask one final question. "Where'd you see that advert?"

"Oh, I see how it is. I saw it on a tree near my workplace." He then proceeds to mention the name of the address. You realize that it must be somewhere near your school. With more anxiety bubbling inside you, you want to puke. Though after your nap, you were feeling more refreshed, this certainly took whatever relaxation you had. 

After the phone call ends, you feel nasty all-over. You scroll through your phone and it seems that you have other mixed calls from contactless numbers, probably strangers that tried it with you. Your vision blurs as you register that you've started sobbing. 

**UNKNOWN**  
Fitting for someone like you, isn't it?

"Oikawa, are you still here?" Even if you're yelling, your voice doesn't hold the power it usually does. This isn't a matter of having a good or bad day, this is a matter of complete unfairness. 

"Yeah, is everything alright?" he calls back from somewhere deeper in your apartment, though you can hear footsteps and he soon comes into view. Concern quickly flashes in his eyes and he goes to hug you. "What's wrong?"

You flinch away from him. " _I_ should've been comforting _you_ all this time, not the opposite."

"That's not true. You're trying to figure it out, aren't you? And this person probably won't do anything to me besides be disturbing, but they've been harassing you. I... tried to stay away from you guys, even though we should've all been there for each other."

You appreciate his words and the sentiment of honesty. Oikawa isn't honest often and when it is, you can only figure that things have gotten too serious for him to play some stupid ploy. You give in to his embrace and murmur some words of gratefulness.

"Oikawa, no one else is here right now, right?"

"No. Why do you say that?"

▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅

Just as Iwaizumi is in the middle of typing some sort of 'feel better' soon message to you that sounds more like a bunch of condolences, his phone vibrates under his fingertips. Oh, you _did_ respond. He was starting to think that he's most likely going to hear from you tomorrow. He erases whatever bullshit he wrote and scrolls back to see what you've sent him.

 **nothing girl** :  
can u go to XXX-XXX-XXX and take down a poster with my name on it  
it's on a tree somewhere

 **bruhzumi bruhjime** :  
What???

 **nothing girl** :  
please

 **bruhzumi bruhjime** :  
On my way  
 _Seen_

Iwaizumi immediately starts heading towards the mentioned destination. The sun has already set, making it harder to see details. Regardless, once he nears the address, he immediately notices a few white posters stuck into the trees, though he can't make out what they're saying. 

His approach becomes faster and when he finally sees, his blood runs cold. There's a picture of you printed out in the middle―this time one of your selfies, however―with your full, real name written out in bold. Your phone number has been provided, as well as some kind of description about doing sex work.

In a sudden surge of anger, Iwaizumi rips it out. Sure, it's not like everyone on the street will try to contact you, but if someone were to see your face attached to something like this, it'd be humiliating. Why was your name provided? You could get in trouble with the authorities in your school if word reached the teachers. Worst case scenario, one of your relatives could see it.

It's just too malicious.

He goes around the area and rips them off one by one. Iwaizumi wonders if the preparator could still be in the area. Holding some kind of slight hope, he continues patrolling around, though at first, he sees no one.

He can make out a slight movement in the distance. Someone in dark clothing appears to be taping something to one of the trees―it must be Unknown. As inconspicuously as possible, Iwaizumi gets closer, trying not to make too much noise or any sudden movements that might alert them. 

They're too far away. They appear to be of average height, though he can't make out any details of their face with that black hood covering it. Taking into account that everything is obscured due to a lack of a light source, Iwaizumi would have to slowly get as close as possible to them without startling them.

Once Unknown appears to be satisfied with their handiwork, they immediately run off in another direction. Slightly dumbfounded, Iwaizumi blinks at the retreating silhouette. But this is his only chance, he _can't_ just let them go.

With newfound resolve, he too starts sprinting ahead. He begins thinking that he might catch up with them, beat them for a bit and then have that be the end of this arc of his life. Iwaizumi is too quick to be optimistic, however, since the moment it registers in their mind that they can hear somebody else's footsteps, they start rushing ahead even faster. 

Iwaizumi struggles to keep up with their speed, especially in this unknown part of town. The further Unknown leads him away from their initial spot, the less oriented he feels.

Unknown rolls away, somewhere, and disappears out of view. Confusion overtakes Iwaizumi's mind, apart from the slight sound of rustling among the dead of the night. Where did they go? He approaches the bush where he thinks he saw them disappear and he's out of breath from all this running.

_They have to be around here, somewhere._

Iwaizumi looks around some more. The moment he moves his gaze up, he notices a silhouette moving with their back pressed against the wall of a building, seemingly trying to get around it with their head lowered down. He rushes ahead, though a stick under him _snaps_ , and Unknown slips through the vacancy between the two buildings in front of him easily. 

He refuses to give up his pursuit, however. Iwaizumi mirrors Unknown's route and makes his way through, he runs ahead until he finds himself in an open street. He squints his eyes involuntarily at the new influx of light―it's lively, out here. 

Once he gets ahold of himself, there's no trace of Unknown. They must've gotten lost in the crowd, or maybe they went to hide somewhere. Iwaizumi slumps and looks around for a while longer, peeking in and out of shops just in case, but it's a fruitless endeavor. 

He rips away the last poster with your face plastered on top of it on his way home. He rips it to shreds.

▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅

Your phone was neglected after your exchange with Iwaizumi. You wonder if he got home safe, however, you're in the middle of a Monopoly round with Oikawa as some kind of attempt at cheering yourselves up and it's time that you settle your priorities. "Stop being a sore loser," you say off-handedly and offer him no more than a smirk.

Oikawa pouts childishly at your remark and returns your smugness with a gratuitous roll of his eyes, though he stays wordless as he watches you grab your phone. After what occurred, he didn't expect you to pick it up so soon.

 **bruhzumi bruhjime** :  
I took them down  
I think I saw Unknown  
I mean I don't think I did I definitely did

 **nothing girl** :  
what  
who are they??? what did u see  
are you alright? did you go home safely?

 **bruhzumi bruhjime** :  
I couldn't see them well  
I chased after them but they were faster  
Then I lost them in a crowd  
Shit

 **nothing girl** :  
its not ur fault, hajime  
most ppl wouldnt have the guts to go after a weirdo stalker

 **bruhzumi bruhjime** :  
Thank you  
But I wanted to talk about something else  
Kyoutani says that Setsuna is being framed  
What do you think?

You try to rationalize this claim. Well, she certainly doesn't act as careful as Unknown would. She might be on edge a lot of the time, but that doesn't mean she's necessarily hiding such a secret. On the other hand, it could, of course, be some kind of ploy, but you don't want to get too ridiculous with your reaching.

But―

Then, it hits you.

It couldn't have been Amari Setsuna. _She wasn't in the school building when someone put shattered glass in your shoes._ Unless she snuck back in, that wouldn't have made sense.

 **nothing girl** :  
i agree.

_But one question remains. Who would put so much effort into trying to frame Setsuna for all that?_

**bruhzumi bruhjime** :  
Are you going to school tomorrow

 **nothing girl** :  
probably not  
sorry  
oikawa is with me btw  
so dont worry

You then send a picture of him looking as ugly as possible, considering his unlikely good looks and pride in them, dazed off after another Monopoly defeat. When he notices you doing that, you take another picture of him mid-scold for apparently 'ruining his reputation'. Whatever, it's not like Iwaizumi doesn't know that he tends to act like a whiny baby when it comes to stupid games like that.

 **bruhzumi bruhjime** :  
Yeah I feel soooo much better now that I know that a manchild is with you  
Take care

 **nothing girl** :  
ILOL  
thank u king  
u too  
 _Seen_

Now that Iwaizumi is finally reassured that you're not in dire need of a makeshift therapist neither some kind of medical attention, you notice that Tendou has sent you a single text as well. 

**cringe ass nae nae baby** :  
what the hell dramajohsai is wilding again...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> le cliff hanger ILOL PEPE SEX LOLE
> 
> sorry anyways i think this is my favorite chapter so far
> 
> i was going to write a bit more but wale it seemed like a good place to cut it off
> 
> i usually listen to saccharine by jazmin bean when i write this story take it as you will


	13. Interludes & Inbetweens

**cringe ass nae nae baby** :  
what the hell dramajohsai is wilding again...

 **2002-2004 shot to death** :  
dude what

Despite questioning what Tendou had asked you, you don't bother waiting for his answer and instead directly go on their page. After a short while, it loads. You're shocked to see that someone has taken a photo of the incriminating poster Unknown made of you and submitted it for the account to upload. 

You can't take a break, can you?

Most of the comments seem intent on ridiculing you, however, you see a few of your friends such as Kanamori and Kyoutani defending you. Of course, Tendou would help you take the posts down just like he did last time, but that wouldn't erase the fact that everyone saw them regardless.

"Do you see this shit?" you whisper indignantly, shoving your phone in Oikawa's face.

"That's disgusting." Though he says this through narrowed eyes, Oikawa's expression soon changes into one of mild surprise. "Wait, [L/n]. Isn't this picture from your _private_ account?"

You blink. He's right.

▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅

When Iwaizumi walks into school the next day, he's in a reasonably bad mood. He got home late yesterday after a useless chase with Unknown which ended with him being in a place in town he hasn't visited before. It's like whenever someone's onto this person, they manage to be one step ahead―this time, quite literally. 

Regardless, he's snapped out of his thoughts when he hears an ongoing commotion in the hallway. In the distance, he can make out two figures going at it with someone in the middle, seemingly trying to mediate. Iwaizumi comes closer and realizes that it's Setsuna and Tashiro fighting again, with Setsuna becoming increasingly violent.

"Dude, stop," Ayano says in a deadpan manner. 

"Shut up, idiot. I know you and your ugly ass whore ass friend Tashiro sent photos of my pills to the drama account! And once I clap your shit, I'll beat that slut, Kojima, to death," she threatens, her expression becoming more unhinged. 

"We didn't do that," Ayano tries to defend lukewarmly once more. 

Tashiro, growing more frightened, starts tearing up. This makes Setsuna more aggressive in return. "I've had it with you fake crocodile tears," she screams and lunges to grab her by the throat. Everyone stares without intervening. 

Iwaizumi turns to break up the fight, but before he can, Masazumi steps in instead. He pulls Setsuna away from Tashiro, to which she responds by glaring at him and shoving him off. "Stay away from me if you're not gonna agree with me, asshole," she warns and that warrants nothing more than an eyebrow raise from him. _Weren't they dating or something? The hell?_

She storms off. The other students seem confused by the altercation and Masazumi shrugs before retreating to the 3-5 classroom. Iwaizumi notices Hanamaki lingering nearby and decides to question him about the ongoing events before his appearance. "What was that all about?"

"I don't know? Man, this school has gone to shit this year," the boy answers with his usual neutral expression.

"Yeah, no kidding," Iwaizumi agrees. Maybe he should ask Setsuna about this.

▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅

Finding Setsuna during lunch hours isn't as easy as it sounds. He knows that she usually sits with a bunch of mostly unfamiliar second-years, as well as one of the mods for the drama account, but today she's nowhere to be seen near their table. Iwaizumi frowns as he wanders around until he spots her under a tree, tapping her finger and shaking intermittently. 

"Um? Hello?" he calls out awkwardly as if to not startle her by appearing out of nowhere. 

Her head snaps towards him and she glares slightly. "I didn't post the pictures of [L/n] yesterday, or the other ones, alright? I fuckin'― I don't like her, but this isn't funny anymore."

"What pictures?"

"Oh, you didn't know about that. Nevermind, then," she says sourly and then turns her blank stare towards the ground. "What do you want?"

"Why were you fighting with the first-years earlier? In front of everyone?"

"Because they're trying to make me look crazy by postin' my shit over social media. Have you ever seen Ayano? That bitch is always on her phone. Who is she texting, no one likes her ugly ass. It's creepy. Isn't it creepy?" she rambles erratically. 

"Why would they try to make you look crazy?" Iwaizumi asks, this time attempting to get a clearer answer.

"I don't know. She, Tashiro, randomly started saying I'm [L/n]'s stalker. You know, the polaroids and stuff. So now she's spreading lies about me and that creepy bitch Ayano is helping her."

Iwaizumi thinks that she sounds too paranoid and is just jumping to conclusions since the two seem like easy targets to pin her misfortune on. She must be stressed from getting framed. Still, that doesn't rule out the possibility of her being correct, or at least on the right track. 

"Kojima's an admin on dramajohsai, isn't she? Why would she post something against you?"

"Because she's drama hungry and she wants boys to think that she's epic and based or whatever the fuck. I've had enough of this interview, so piss." She makes a shooing motion and although a bit annoyed, Iwaizumi complies. He doesn't know what to make of this.

▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅

_"Haha, no wonder [L/n] isn't here today. I wouldn't be able to show my face after that!"_

_"She never learns her lesson, does she? First, she was messing around with Oikawa and the others, now this."_

_"I wish someone reported it, it'd be funny."_

_"For sure."_

_"It looked fake though."_

_"I know. She's so sensitive, it was probably just some prank."_

Iwaizumi's eye has been twitching all day. He's not exactly sure what transpired yesterday since he was kind of occupied after all, but from his understanding, someone managed to snap a picture of that poster and spread it around. What happened with Setsuna is unclear, however. No one was talking about it―perhaps the situation was overshadowed by the drama surrounding you.

His mind isn't focused during practice, which is unusual for him. Oikawa is back, however, as usual, he's acting more withdrawn than his previous overbearing flirtatiousness. Ever since this started, nothing has been the same, at least for your group. 

Iwaizumi lingers in the changing rooms after school. He gets a gut feeling and it lurches in his stomach. There's uneasiness in the air.

With his skin prickled with shivers, almost paranoid, he steps out and looks at the empty hallway. Nothing is out of the ordinary until he hears some kind of loud noise coming from the cheer club practice room. No one is supposed to be there. 

Overcome with a sense of fight or flight, instead of going towards the gym, Iwaizumi opts to alert someone of a break-in. It sounds like something shattered inside, that's not normal. Everything in the area appears to be deserted, so he decides that his next best option is the main school building. 

His steps are cautious as to not make any unnecessary noise. The door creaks when he opens it to exit, though once he takes a step forward, he feels someone push his back and he descends downstairs. Iwaizumi's feet twist at an awkward angle, tripping over each other, and when he feels his face plant against the concrete abruptly, the only thing he can register is acute pain.

Iwaizumi winces, lets out an unhelpful _ouch_ even though his reaction is belated, then looks around. There's no one here, neither the person who pushed him nor someone who can help him up, and his ankle hurts too much for him to be able to stand up.

Or at least, he thinks so. Unexpectedly, after a few minutes, a bored-looking girl emerges from inside the gym, her face illuminated only by the light coming from her phone. This allows him to recognize her as Takeuchi Ayano. She appears startled by his presence. "Are you okay?"

He shakes his head. "Why are you _here_?" 

"Tashiro and I heard a noise after I got done taking a shower," she explains. "But it was just you?"

Iwaizumi frowns. Something isn't right about her.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hii sorry for not updating in a while. again
> 
> i have a 30+ page math homework
> 
> and i pulled a nerve in my neck so it hurts
> 
> so i probably wont update anymore this week and i need to finish Ungle Bungle Forgotten Mutts: The Bungleing of a Lifetime Season 2: Electric Bungle (bungou stray dogs season 2 and then 3) so i can update junkyard dog lol
> 
> anwayys yea #PrayForMe #LoveWins #SaveThePlanet


	14. Offers & Considerations

Whatever conspiracy Iwaizumi was considering in his head is acutely shut down by a shrill scream. Suddenly alert, he tries standing up but quickly winces and realizes that this won't be possible with the state of his ankle. He lets out a hiss, and Ayano retreats inside as if to investigate, however she collides with the girl he recognizes as Tashiro instead. She looks distressed. 

"What's wrong?" Ayano asks. Now that Iwaizumi thinks about it, she acts a bit like a zombie. What's her deal? He's never interacted with someone _this_ robotic, even Ushijima can't compare.

"Someone has vandalized the gym! It's terrible," she says through choked sobs. She sure cries a lot if not anything else.

Ayano steps forward after mumbling something under her breath and turning her phone off. Iwaizumi decides that he wants to see whatever it is, too. "Can someone help me? I want to take a look as well," he asks. 

The girls hold him up, one on each side, with surprisingly no reluctance. He can feel Tashiro slightly shaking but he offers no commentary. After they reach the gym, Tashiro reaches her hand out and twists the doorknob open. The room is obscurely-lit and Iwaizumi can only make out the contrast of moonlight sneaking in through the now-broken window. 

Tashiro flicks on the light. It becomes painstakingly obvious now that someone has graffitied the walls after breaking in through the window. 

_[L/n] [Y/n] is an STD-ridden whore! Watch out!_

Iwaizumi frowns, again. That's just an absurd thing to say. Regardless, you'd be the one getting ridiculed over it in the end. 

"It's terrible," cries Tashiro.

"Let's tell one of the security guards."

"Hm, maybe since it was a break-in, they'll do something this time," Iwaizumi says bitterly. 

The two look at each other as if they don't understand what he's talking about, but they don't say anything. Iwaizumi stays leaning against the wall and waits for them to return with the security guard. The conversation is brief―they promise to do something about it, which Iwaizumi doubts will be much help, and then he awkwardly has to wait for someone to pick him up since he can't walk. 

Well. A long phone call awaits you tonight.

▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅

The next school day is lonely for you, without Iwaizumi there. Oikawa thinks that he's doing you a favor by ignoring you outside of hushed whispers during classes and most people seem intent on avoiding you or talking behind your back. You'd went through your Instagram followers yesterday to see if anything is out of the ordinary, though you concluded that most of your followers are either from the volleyball, football or cheer club or straight up from other schools.

So, that endeavor wasn't very helpful.

You make your way to the gym and notice that its entrance is closed. Your friend told you what he'd seen, of course, but you are still curious, and "curiosity killed the cat" seems to be an ongoing theme in your life. Regardless, access to the gym has been forbidden for renovations, which you're thankful for. 

Cheer practice has been postponed. Kanamori suggested trying to haggle with another club and split the gym, but everyone was skeptical that they'd let your teacher do that, so Kanamori is currently looking for alternatives. You, on the other hand, don't care anymore.

**nothing girl** :  
r u feeling better

 **bruhzumi bruhjime** :  
My ankle is still swollen, can't walk for shit  
Are you in school today

 **nothing girl** :  
Yap  
ay  
yuh  
yall ready know who it is

 **bruhzumi bruhjime** 😐:  
Can you not do that while I'm in crisis thanks

 **nothing girl** :  
i'll visit u 2day and rap in ur ear personally

 **bruhzumi bruhjime** :  
Lucky me!   
_Seen_

You giggle to yourself a little. At least you can always count on Iwaizumi to cheer you up with his deadpan sense of humor. Once Kanamori registers your seemingly uplifted expression, she decides to approach you with scrunched eyebrows. "Listen, we need to talk," she says. "Amari is being difficult."

"When is she _not_ being difficult?" you ask sarcastically. 

Kanamori snorts in agreement but returns to her serious demeanor from before. "Yes but now she's making these insane demands. She's saying that if we don't kick Tashiro off the team, _she's_ going to leave."

Right. She thinks that Tashiro is the culprit. Before you can offer any input, Kanamori continues her explanation. "And, I'm not trying to be mercenary here, but we've got competitions coming up. Setsuna is the better cheerleader overall, plus she's been in the club for longer."

"You think that we should treat Amari's allegations as true and expulse Tashiro? You're all business as usual," you say with slight amusement crinkling in your eyes. Usually, you'd let Kanamori handle the diplomatic side of things since Setsuna doesn't have an agenda against her, but it wouldn't be beneficial in this case. "It wouldn't be fair if it's not true, though. I think we should talk to Amari about it behind Tashiro's back."

Kanamori seems to agree with your idea. Or she's just happy that you're supporting her morally questionable proposition, you can't tell.

When the two of you finally locate Setsuna, she looks as haughty as usual with her arms crossed over her chest and a frown etched over her face. Still, she's more polite today than she is when she's donning a plastic smile. "Hey."

"We're considering your terms," Kanamori begins and then side-eyes you as if waiting for you to continue. 

"But you have to convince us that Tashiro is the culprit. That's the condition," you follow-up. 

Setsuna's face goes blank before she blinks and rubs her arm. "Well, after we fought in the locker room, my med containers spilled over the floor. And someone posted a picture recently, so I think it was her or maybe Ayano helped her to do me dirty. No one else really has any reason to, except maybe you Captain, but someone is trying to frame me for the shit done against _you_."

"Do you have a picture? Tashiro didn't go back to the locker rooms that day during practice, I think," Kanamori argues. If she goes with her plan of convincing Setsuna to stay, she'll need proof that Tashiro was behind that, anyway.

Setsuna pulls out her phone and shows you a screenshot of the post. She's seen holding the container and seemingly in the middle of a sentence, the lights are slightly dimmed. It kind of looks like the locker room, but yet again this couldn't have happened during the time of the fight, that much is obvious. "Dude, that's not the locker room. Are you... okay?"

She hasn't been exactly showing signs of being okay, so you're not sure why you asked that. But, you need her to be aware that something strange is going on. Someone took that picture of her and she's not aware of it, it's a creepshot similar to the ones you were captured in. The more you think about it, the more blatant it's becoming that this picture was taken head-on. Was she truly oblivious of it, or is she just pretending?

_You shiver. Someone is staring at you intently._

"I don't know! I don'tremember. I don't know what's going on," she admits with a shaky voice, obvious distress seeping through her facade. 

Your conversation is interrupted by Masazumi. "Setsuna-chan, Kanamori-san, [L/n]-san. The football club heard about your situation, so when I saw all of you together, I thought it'd be the perfect time to tell you that our teacher wants to offer you to split the gym with us. Can you talk?"

"Oh, sure," Kanamori agrees quickly. "We can discuss it. Amari and [L/n] have something to talk about, so let's go somewhere else."

You're not sure why, but you get the impression that Masazumi isn't satisfied to leave it at that, even though he looks as smiley and easygoing as ever. You wave at them goodbye and turn towards Setsuna once again. You're not sure what to say. She appears to be having memory lapses, but you're not sure what they could be caused by. 

Once the other two disappear out of earshot, her previously vulnerable expression turns more serious and grim. She leans closer to you and whispers in your ear. _Someone is still watching you ever-so-carefully, you can feel it._

"Sorry about everything I said about you. Let's call a truce and help each other out, I'm too out of it to do anything by myself, what do you say?"

You could trust her, at least partly, since it's becoming obvious that the likeliness of her getting framed is high. But, should you?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> POLL TIME LOL!
> 
> https://www.strawpoll.me/20079184


	15. Deceits & Butchers

You try to think of the pros and cons of working with Setsuna. For one, she'd probably be likely to backstab you if you do something that's not to her liking. Regardless, if you cooperate, there might be something she could offer that your friends can't. A certain insight from who you believed to be your opposition sounds beneficial in such a crucial moment. 

"Sure," you agree after a moment of contemplation. "We need to figure something out regarding your memory lapses, though. I'm guessing this photo wasn't taken in your room?"

"No. It was probably at a party, or sleepover, or something." She stares at it once more. Her room's walls are colored a depressing white rather than the dark brown captured in this enclosure. It was most likely at someone else's house, though she doesn't remember visiting anyone in particular as of late. 

You narrow your eyes at her. When did this start? Why doesn't she remember? "I have a question for you and if you want this to work, you gotta answer honestly."

She frowns as she understands in what direction this is going, but nods anyway. Perhaps it is an attempt to be less temperamental or because she's getting framed for serious things to the point where she _needs_ to help you figure this out, but she's compliant. 

"Are you taking these meds just for partying? Or is there another reason?"

"Another reason," she admits guiltily, averting her gaze to the side. 

"Right. Have you been taking them regularly?" you ask once more, tilting your head to the side in a thoughtful manner. You're starting to see some connections.

"Yeah, but I ran out. I'm going to get a refill soon, though."

"Did you run out sooner than you thought you would?"

Setsuna averts her stare to the ground, lost in her thoughts and her eyes turning lifeless as if she's spacing out. Her eyebrows scrunch up until her head snaps back up to meet your gaze. "Now that you mention it, I think you might be right."

"I think that someone might be messing with your meds," you say bluntly, barely a change in the pitch of your tone. She has always hated this about you―how utterly unphased you are at everything that comes your way and how you try to retain your maturity while dealing with unpleasant situations. You hadn't lost your cool once, at least not in school. Setsuna, however, has lost her composure in front of people many times. 

The mere thought of someone touching personal belongings of hers makes her skin crawl and gives her the urge to throw yet another tantrum, but she holds it back, to save face as if she hasn't lost it already in the eye of the public. Now that she thinks about it, when that pervert was messing with your clothes you did report it immediately but you weren't shaken at all, were you? 

She's just so _envious_. People who can contain their emotions, people who she can't get a read on, are scary.

"But I don't think it makes sense for Ayano or Tashiro to get a hold of something like that." Setsuna almost opens her mouth to argue because she's so used to being on the defensive but reminds herself that you're more level-headed than she is and bites down her complaints. She offered the truce, anyway, she has no room to be complaining. "Do you still have the receipts or something? Maybe if you look at the dates, we can estimate when it started happening. It'd be easier that way."

If only you could connect all the dots. So many things are happening, but nothing definitive as of yet. Though you might feel like you're at a dead-end, you won't give up.

"I'm going to look for them after school and let you know. We don't have practice today, right?"

"Probably not. The last thing I heard is that it got canceled but I think Kanamori is negotiating right now. I'll remind you to text me later," you say smoothly. Just then, the bell resounds and you give her a meek wave goodbye, which she returns. 

▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅

"Well, the volleyball gym is probably the biggest, but I already asked and they said no," Kanamori explains. Masazumi is as attentive as he always is, nodding along with an easy-going smile resting on his lips. 

"Weird. Well, as I said, our coach already offered so no worries. It's not done for today though since, y'know, it was kinda short notice but feel free to join us tomorrow," he elaborates.

"Thank you, I'll discuss this with our coach. She thought we won't have anywhere to practice until they fix the windows," Kanamori says politely. 

"The windows? What happened?" he asks, mildly curious. His coach had mentioned that the cheering club practice room was inaccessible and that's why he was offering in the first place, but there was no public explanation as to why that is. Your school tends to be secretive about such things.

"Some kind of break-in." Kanamori rolls her eyes like a thin guise of concealing the whole story as if there's a part of it she's leaving out. "We have to pay for window repair by ourselves now, you know?"

"Is that what Amari-chan and [L/n] were talking about?" he pries. 

"Maybe. They have some kind of agenda against each other, you see." Kanamori leaves it at that. 

"I know that," he says before letting out a light chuckle and turning to leave. "Anyway, that's all I wanted to say."

"You're friends with both of them, aren't you?"

"Who?"

"[L/n] and Amari."

"Yeah, why do you ask?" It's his turn to speak in a suspicious tone. 

Her face blanks and she shrugs. "Nothing." After this brief remark, Masazumi retreats to his classroom after he spares one last raised eyebrow Kanamori's way and she makes her way towards the club room in search of the coach. As she nears it, however, she's met with a perplexing sight. 

Ayano sneaks around with almost nonexistent footsteps before prying the doors open―ignoring the various signs that express how entering is currently forbidden―and enters. Her phone is on her, as always. This weird behavior can't go overlooked. Kanamori frowns, entering the scene with a bellow. "What are you doing, Ayano?"

Startled, the otherwise stoic girl drops her phone to the ground. Once more, her words are uttered in a monotone as she points at her now discarded device. "I was taking a picture."

"What? Why?"

"I overheard that they're going to wash it away soon, but it has the preparator's handwriting on it..." 

While Ayano is crouched down to retrieve her phone, Kanamori gapes at her. She might look scatterbrained and absent with her mouth always slightly parted and her face always so crestfallen, but she's right. Kanamori can't deny that, as her peers say, _points were made._

"You don't think I did it, do you?" she asks nonchalantly. 

"Mind sending me the picture?" 

▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅

Iwaizumi's mom is gravely concerned even though the ordeal has been over and it's already late into the day when you go to visit him with some fresh freestyle rap verses. Now that you think about it, they might be not-so-freestyle since you prepared them beforehand, but whatever. 

"I can't believe someone did that to him on purpose," she cries. You don't either, but it turns out that you do live in a society and it's not some kind of myth. The school's lack of concern has been both tremendously disappointing and baffling, not that you expect much from authority figures, anyway.

"I know right? It's awful," you agree.

"You should stay with us for dinner," she prods. "Hajime would appreciate it. He likes having you around! Not sure about Tooru, though."

"I don't want to intrude, but if it'll help, I don't mind," you offer, trying to stifle your laughter at her unintentional diss. She seems appeased by that and leads you upstairs, even though you've been over enough times to know the way to Iwaizumi's room. After you make it inside, she disappears out of sight once more.

"Hey, how's my favorite wounded animal doing?"

"Ugh. I don't need this negativity in my life right now," he jokes back. "Seriously though, it hurts like a constant nipple pinch. And it's not even broken or anything, it's just strained."

You make a weird grimace at the mention of a nipple pinch but don't question him as you're not in the mood to unlock his secret backstory. "Moving swiftly on, I came here to fulfill my promise."

Iwaizumi looks at you quizzically. You seldom make promises, so he truly has no idea what this is about until memories of one of your text conversations flood his mind. 

"Please don't rap," he begs. As absurd as this situation is by itself, there's truly a sliver of genuine plea in his eyes that just makes you want to rap at him even more. It's not often that you see Aobajohsai's ace terrified. You're almost proud of yourself, though you know that you shouldn't be.

"Alright. Yeah. Tessa Brooks."

"What are you even saying _?_ "

"It's called _adlibbing_ ," you say, emphasizing the word with air-quotes. "Learn about it."

He stares at you in slight disbelief. He's well-aware that this situation is dire, but he didn't expect you to start losing your mind. Or maybe you've just found it for the first time? He's not sure. 

With a cough, you attempt to continue. "Anyways. Alright. Yeah. Tessa Brooks. Uh-huh. My dick is so hard, it makes the metal detector go off―"

Apparently, the universe is against letting your freestyle into the wild because you're interrupted by the distinctive sound of a door being opened and unlocked. You both stiffen as if you're in imminent danger, listening to Iwaizumi's mom's muffled voice, and then two pairs of footsteps. 

The tension dissuades when you see Oikawa at the doorframe with a bag of groceries in his hands.

"Your vibes are so musky," you say with a slight laugh.

"Yeah, I thought it was a shady salesman intruding or something," Iwaizumi agrees. 

"You guys are so mean, and for what?" Oikawa pouts fakely before waving the bag in front of you two. "Anyways before I was made a fool of for being a _nice and concerned_ friend―" he coughs to give prominence to the mistreatment he's the victim of, "―I bought some snacks. And drinks. And an ice pack for your ankle."

"Thank you. Mainly for saving me form [L/n]'s rap rather than coming."

"Oh my god, you are impossible."

His appearance, however, reminds you that Setsuna still hasn't texted you to inform you about what you'd asked earlier today in school. She probably forgot like you predicted she would. Pulling out your phone, you look for her contact before selecting it and typing up a reminder.

**cheer captain** :  
hey amari. did u check for the receipts?

It doesn't take too long for her to respond. 

**Amari Setsuna** :  
Sorry, [L/n]. Nothing turned up.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hey so i know that ao3 is being weird with the emails rn. If you're subscribed to this story and got an email (or if you somehow saw this BUT didn't get an email) please let me know?? I might unpublish the chapter and republish it or something idk


	16. Phantoms & Disillusions

You frown at the text. Something is... _off_. She might be lying, you're not sure, but it just gives you a weird feeling in the pit of your stomach.

"What's up?" Iwaizumi inquires once he notices the strange expression on your face.

"Amari is being flaky again, I think, or maybe something else is wrong," you say unsurely. You can't exactly tell with her, considering how nonsensical her behavior can be at times.

Oikawa, at the mention of a familiar name, leers over your shoulder to see what you're talking about. He doesn't want your elaboration―if you wanted to be discussing this further, you would've probably said so, but now, he just wants to see for himself―and feels gargantuan confusion by the sight. You're right. Something is out of place. "Er, [N/n], Amari-chan usually doesn't text like that at all."

"What do you mean?" Your eyebrow raises in confusion at his statement. You haven't texted with her before, so it's not like you'd know, and you can't begin to imagine what Oikawa would've been talking to her about anyway. Regardless, you'd like to hear his opinion.

"Well, it's like―" as he tries to explain, he throws the bags he brought away before handing Iwaizumi the ice-pack, "―she uses a lot of emojis, no punctuation, lots of misspellings and exclamation points and whatnot. All lowercase text, too."

You don't know if you're impressed or creeped out by his perceptive nature, sometimes. 

"Weirdo," Iwaizumi mutters which makes you laugh at him in open agreement. 

Oikawa throws his hands up in mock surrender and leans back as if admitting defeat. "Okay, _maybe_. Still, I'm telling you, this is fishy. She used to text me all the time and all that, you know?" 

No, to be honest, you don't. But you don't say it out loud.

"Whatever." You shrug him off easily but decide to text her once last time just to make sure.

 **cheer captain**  
r u safe rn?

She never replies to your text nor does she see it.

▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅

There is, once again, something amiss when you enter the school today. Iwaizumi's absence and Oikawa's distance away from you, by itself, is enough to throw you off entirely. Still, the first things you're greeted by this morning are unfriendly faces and more hushed whispers. These students always have something to yap about, like weird NPCs. What's even more bewildering to you is when you see Tashiro cowering in front of Kyoutani near the first years' classrooms.

_Huh?_

You mean to go and be nosy, stick your nose in their business shamelessly. However, before you can even twitch to intervene, Tashiro snivels and goes back to her classroom, clear distraught written over her face. Kyoutani stomps away somewhere; you've seen him act uptight, sure, but never has he been this heated. _Drama alert, whew. What were they talking about, though?_

To satisfy your curiosity, fate sends Hanamaki―who had been a bystander in this situation―your way. He approaches with his mouth slanted into a thin line and you awkwardly redirect his attention to the topic at hand once he greets you. "Did you see that shit?"

"What? Kyoutani and that first-year?"

"Yeah. What was that about?" You tilt your head to the side, crossing your arms over your chest.

"Oh, you don't know?" he asks incredulously. 

_Well, it seems I'm often out of the loop, so bear with me here,_ you think to yourself. Still, you don't voice these thoughts out loud and instead decide to admit that you have no idea what the hell is going on. "No."

"This girl from your club that first-year was beefing with, remember? She got attacked, it was in some news article. Now everyone is blaming, what was her name again... Takino?" he explains.

"It's Tashiro― nevermind, you know what? I don't care. Moving swiftly on, what the hell?" you ramble. So, she was attacked? This might explain her strange behavior last night. Unknown is becoming more and more unhinged, it seems. Though, you're not entirely convinced that this incident isn't an isolated occurrence. 

In life, many things happen to be coincidental. This is why such matters are so fickle. Regardless, you can't shake off the feeling that Unknown is once more the preparator. But what would they gain from attacking Setsuna? Weren't they trying to frame her?

_How much, exactly, do they know?_

"Yeah, pretty fucked up." He shrugs. "Kyoutani was talking to her about that. She got upset. I don't have an opinion, though."

"I see, thank you." And that's the end of the conversation.

Once you make it to class, you take your usual seat and start searching for Setsuna's name on the Internet. In yours and Kanamori's presence, everyone in the classroom is silent, and still, you can make out the unspoken question lingering in the air. They're wondering what you and Kanamori think of it, a club member of yours has been attacked, after all. 

_"A high-school girl has been attacked by an unknown assailant on her way home. She claims that she was strangled from the back and knocked out from asphyxiation. When she regained consciousness, she couldn't find her phone to call the police, so she went to a nearby station on foot. According to her, it had most likely been stolen, but it was soon found broken and discarded in a bush a few streets away from her house."_

There's a picture of her plastered on the top, her tresses in disarray and some of her trademark hair clippers missing. Her lip is busted and there's an obvious bruise on her cheek, making the skin appear more blue and sickly. By the looks of it, more than what was described had transpired. 

The strange thing is that you're aware of how strong Setsuna is, physically speaking. You can't think of anyone that might overpower her from the cheer club if it comes to raw physical prowess. The other strange thing is her phone. 

It's starting to become clear that Oikawa was right. It was most likely _not_ Setsuna texting you that day.

▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅

Tashiro does not show up to practice. She'd claimed that she was intimidated by the football players, faked some kind of nonexistent illness, and left. Though you could easily see her tear-stained face and smudged make-up as well as having overheard her frantic ranting about how 'she didn't do it' to her friends in class after Kyoutani's confrontation. The blatant glares sent her way weren't exactly subtle and, to be fair, you might've started jumping on the bandwagon just to scare her. 

Setsuna might be unlikable, but not many people have enough of an agenda to go as far as to tail her after school and make an actual attempt on her life. However, Tashiro has been on the verge of getting her ass beaten by your mercurial teammate on numerous occasions―a lot of which had been done overtly―so you understand where these assumptions are coming from. Most students most likely reckon that Tashiro is out for revenge.

You'd like to believe it. It's convenient but there's one thing that bugs you about this scheme. 

Tashiro would never win in a fight against Setsuna. The more you think about it, the less sense it makes. Rather, it confuses and disorients you; even if she was caught off-guard, you're sure that Setsuna would've managed to shake her off. Tashiro's not tall enough to put her in a proper chokehold without somehow almost bending her back in two, either. 

But who knows? It could be possible. Maybe you're just close-minded.

The football club members don't pay you much attention when practice starts. You're tired and, honestly, not in the mood so you begin to excuse yourself until you realize that Kanamori gives up mid-stretch to go somewhere without an explanation, too. You trail after her and once you make it out of the gym, you decide to address her.

"Potty break?" you offer cheekily. 

"Nah," she says coolly. "I'll tell you later. Where are you going, by the way?" 

Well, that certainly catches your attention. "Gonna clear my head outside for a bit. What do you wanna talk about?"

She shoos you away with an awkward flap of her hand and goes down towards what appears to be one of the office rooms. You assume that this is her way of saying that she'll be letting you know with mere actions.

Once you make it outside, you light your cigarette and stare at the night sky. You get lost in thought and everything seems to blur out as if time has complied with your trance until you catch a hoodie-clad figure moving from the corner of your eye. You get startled and back away, ready to break out in a sprint and reasonably so. Setsuna was the first victim, what stops you from being the second?

You're halted, however, by a familiar voice. " _Captain,_ wait!"

It's Setsuna herself that is speaking. She stumbles in front of you and you gape at her with your cigarette still half-hanging from your lips and your body positioned mid-step. After your initial shock waves off, you assume a normal posture and rip the cancer stick out of your mouth and away from her face when she gets closer.

"What are you doing here?" you hiss with narrowed eyes, trying to make out her silhouette. She usually dresses in a more trendy fashion-friendly manner so her choice of a baggy hoodie and sweats isn't unwelcomed but rather surprising. "You fuckin' scared the shit out of me."

"Shhh. I'm like, not supposed to be here or near the school at all." 

You give her a quizzical look but decide not to comment on that. Instead, you proceed in a business-like manner as per usual. "How'd you know you'll find me here?"

"I was going to break in, you just made this easier for me." She promptly ignores your blank stare. Silence is telling, sometimes. "Anyway, I was home today so I looked for the receipts. This has been going on for two months."

"So, you weren't the one that texted me yesterday, huh?" Well, that's blatant but you want a vocal confirmation.

"No. Huh? What?"

"I got a text that said that 'nothing turned up'."

Setsuna makes a horrified expression. "But," she sputters desperately, her pupils constricting as if struck by an awful realization, "my phone has a passcode. _No, no, no―_ "

You gulp thickly but don't offer any verbal consolation. A pat on her back should suffice. "Listen, did you see the assailant?"

"Well, no, I had my back on them. But they were taller and stronger than me. I tried to fight back but they overpowered me easily. I got knocked out before I even knew it," she says solemnly.

 _Kanamori and Ayano are taller than her_ , you think to yourself as you recall Kanamori's ominous remark from a few minutes ago, in particular. _But Ayano isn't strong enough either, maybe even less so than Tashiro. I don't know about Kanamori, though._

"Well, that's all I wanted to say. I hope it helps or whatever. I have to go back or I'll get in trouble with my parents again," she says quickly and runs off like it's nothing, not even a goodbye making its way out of her lips. She sure looks roughened up, if not anything else. 

Setsuna Amari might be a menace, but she's also a victim.

You frown at this newfound information she's given you, unsure what to make of it. After you finish your cigarette, you retreat inside.

▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅

Kanamori trudges along the hallway before she finally reaches what is temporarily no longer the cheer club practice room. She rummages through her pocket until she pulls out the two keys her coach typically uses. She knows that she shouldn't be here but decides, _whatever_ , twists the key and enters like it's nothing.

Businesslike, much like yourself.

It's dark inside, however, she ignores the baleful atmosphere and intrudes even further until she reaches the smaller faculty room hidden within. With one snappy movement, she turns the light on and blinks rapidly until her eyesight settles. Once it readjusts and she can see clearly, Kanamori starts scouring the desk's drawers.

She's sure that there are a few competition documents which compile all the cheerleaders' handwriting from this year, too. They seem to always insist on making you all agree to rules you didn't even read. 

Kanamori scoffs hopelessly until she finally finds what she'd been looking for. 

_I, Whoever Whatever, hereby declare that I agree to the abovementioned conditions._

The girl smirks and pulls out her phone, immediately looking for the picture that Ayano had sent her. It's easy to find, one of the most recent files in her gallery. 

_[L/n] [Y/n] is an STD-ridden whore! Watch out!_

She tries to identify a clear match but it proves to be difficult. The handwriting of the preparator isn't notably nice or clean in comparison to all the girls'. Of course, it's clumsily graffitied, so she's sure that this takes away from the quality quite a bit but even so, some kind of resemblance seems to be impossible to find. 

Kanamori scratches her head dumbly but decides that despite her confusion, she won't abandon this endeavor. Grabbing the documents with her, she weasels herself out of the gym and locks it as it had been before her appearance. Her intention, of course, is to discuss the matter with you.

Coincidentally, you're coming back from your smoke break. Kanamori feigns ignorance to the stench that follows after like she usually does. She waves you over and you approach her in a manner more guarded than the one you usually have around her. Although she notices this strange wariness, she decides to ignore it.

"So, what'd you wanna talk about?" you ask, slight boredom weaving its way through the edge of your tone.

She shows you the documents as well as the photo on her phone. "Ayano took this photo yesterday so I wanted to make a comparison of everyone's handwriting but nothing seems to be matching. I know it's graffiti, but―"

You crane your neck and lean closer to her. _How interesting_ , you didn't think you'd get the opportunity to make a direct comparison. Of course, you'd noticed that Unknown's penmanship is bad but there's a chance they might be butchering it on purpose, too. Still, none of them appear to be similar.

"Eh, what's this chicken scratch shit?" you say bluntly. The longer you stare at it, though, the more familiar it becomes. "It looks kind of... boyish."

"Oh, true, I didn't think about that. A lot of guys have ugly handwriting," she agrees.

_Boyish._

The moment this word leaves your lips is the moment you're stuck with whiplash by a revelation. Boyish. Though you've been throwing the pronoun 'they' about Unknown and though you've entertained the idea of them being a guy or maybe even nonbinary briefly a couple of times, your main idea has always been that a girl is behind this. A fangirl of Oikawa's, to be specific. Iwaizumi and Oikawa were under the same impression as far as you can tell, anyway.

Kanamori puts down the documents and begins making her way towards the gym, seemingly not reading too deeply into your abrupt silence. 

Of course. You had been too naive. 

Who else could have access to Setsuna's password? Who else could get the opportunity to mess with her medicine and rope her along? Who else could know about her family's religion, even? Who else could inconspicuously do as they please, download your private photos and follow you around without you paying them any mind or notice? 

_Who else could fucking outrun Iwaizumi Hajime and overpower Amari Setsuna in a one-on-one of sorts? Who is so fake as to do this seamlessly with barely any mess-ups?_

You're suddenly overwhelmed by anger as you stomp after Kanamori but try to conceal it, curb your temper for just a little. She makes a face at your sudden and visible change in mood but before she can manage to open the door, you whisper in her ear as quietly as possible. "I know who it is."

Your secrecy doesn't go unnoticed by her. You can see that she wants to ask but keeps it to herself while the two of you make your way in and you start walking across the court like you would any other time. 

You lock eyes and a tense moment―a mere blink of an eye, even―passes. With a wave of your hand, you let a mirroring soulless smile overtake your face. 

_**Caught you, Masazumi Kurosawa.** _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> LOL OK IM ACTUALLY NERVOUS ASF ABOUT THIS CHAPTER
> 
> But anyway
> 
> just want to remind yall to hang on a bit bc even if the culprit is revealed that doesn't mean I've finished telling this story!!!!


	17. Masquerades & Verities

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **!!<https://blacklivesmatters.carrd.co> !! !! <https://blmsites.carrd.co> !!**
> 
> **!!<https://blackliveswillalwaysmatter.carrd.co> !!**
> 
> **TAKE A LOOK AT THESE AND HELP IN ANY WAY YOU CAN.**
> 
> **ANY IGNORANT COMMENTS ON THE MATTER WILL BE DELETED AT BEST OR MET WITH A VIOLENT REACTION AT WORST. THIS IS QUITE A LONG CHAPTER BUT I WANTED TO PUT THIS WHERE NO ONE HAS ANY EXCUSE TO SAY THEY "DIDN'T" SEE IT.**

_April 16th._

Masazumi isn't sure where he's been going wrong this whole time. In junior high, he wasn't the biggest social butterfly and he thought perhaps something could change after he transitioned into high school. So far though, no such luck. 

He's been told he comes off as unfriendly and stuck-up. Often, when he looks at himself in the mirror, he sees someone that's gloomy and skinny, mouth stuck in a perpetual frown. Perhaps he should change up his attitude and demeanor, but he's not sure how to do that or in which direction to go. 

In the library, it's quiet. 

When two figures occupy the table near his, he immediately stiffens and leans his head into his hand as to appear inconspicuous. Not that he was doing anything bad, of course―he just tended to be a bit cautious and paranoid. In an overly-meticulous manner akin to a criminal at large, that is.

He recognizes one of the kids as Iwaizumi Hajime from his class. You're the person he's conversing with and Masazumi isn't sure how this discussion came about but he listens in out of curiosity regardless. It could be insightful. Maybe.

"I had to quit because they can't pay for tuition anymore and I couldn't get a scholarship and yeah," you explain through a hushed whisper. Regardless, Masazumi hears you perfectly and so does your companion.

"So like, do you know Ushiwaka's weaknesses?"

You chuckle. "Is that a joke or what?"

"It was an adequate attempt." He shrugs. "Honestly, it sounds like something my friend I told you about would say."

"That― that um, _Okinawa_ character, right?"

"His name's Oikawa. No, you know what? Maybe you should call him that and knock him down a few pegs," Iwaizumi explains with a sliver of evilness in his tone.

You scratch your head dumbly for a bit as if you're forgetting something, otherwise seemingly ready to agree with his sinister plan. "Hey, wasn't he supposed to turn up today?"

"Yeah, but he's probably tending to his little fan club," he says, visibly annoyed by his friend. To emphasize his distaste, he puts the words _fan club_ in air quotes.

Oh, right. Oikawa is a very popular student in general. During your days back in Shiratorizawa, some girls admired him and were called class traitors because of that. As you're explaining the drama that ensued surrounding that situation with clear amusement over how utterly stupid it is, Masazumi continues eavesdropping with distinct interest. 

What could this guy have done to retain his popularity so successfully even after junior high?

**lazyidiot12** : how's high school so far :P

 **gdsjikseosllosoljm** : Lame. And boring.

 **lazyidiot12** : :(  
 **lazyidiot12** : I have 2 more years but it still feels too soon T__T

 **gdsjikseosllosoljm** : Haha. I'm sure you'll be fine.

 **lazyidiot12** : ppl always think I'm rude it sucks  
 **lazyidiot12** : what's your problem?  
 **lazyidiot12** : besides the way you type...

 **gdsjikseosllosoljm** : I don't know. Maybe I'm too boring. You did not need to come for me like this.

 **lazyidiot12** : see  
 **lazyidiot12** : you think I'm rude too T__T !!

 **gdsjikseosllosoljm** : No. I'm just messing around, that's all. You're probably the only friend I have.

 **lazyidiot12** : lol how sweet  
 **lazyidiot12** : maybe we should get to know each other better then?

 **gdsjikseosllosoljm** : Talk to you later. I have a class soon.

 **lazyidiot12** : it's ttyl lol  
 **lazyidiot12** : have fun lame-ass

_April 23rd._

Oikawa is a popular guy indeed. 

After overhearing―or rather, _eavesdropping on_ ―your conversation with Iwaizumi, he had become acutely aware of his flirtatious classmate's presence. He always seems to have a horde of girls trailing after him. It's kind of creepy. 

But also admirable, in a strange way. 

Masazumi found himself curious as to how he got his status and quickly found out that he's from the volleyball team and had been a setter in junior high, too. Staring at himself in the mirror, Masazumi can see how his demeanor can come off as repellent to the general population. He looks bland, even, which might as well be more socially-suicidal than looking unappealing or strange.

Perhaps he could use Oikawa as... an example. So sports should be a start to his transformation. 

**gdsjikseosllosoljm** : What kind of sport do you like?

 **lazyidiot12** : what's with the creepy questions lol

 **gdsjikseosllosoljm** : I want to join a club or something. Also, that's not a creepy question. What's wrong with you?

 **lazyidiot12** : I like basketball <3!! my bestie is into volleyball tho

 **gdsjikseosllosoljm** : Alright. I'll try basketball. If it sucks, I'm blaming you.   
**gdsjikseosllosoljm** : I think this high-schools volleyball club is very hyped, though.

 **lazyidiot12** : I think that volleyball is overrated af  
 **lazyidiot12** : my best friend is obsessed with this one volleyball player who used to go to our school!! he's your age tho he's in high school now  
 **lazyidiot12** : she makes me go with her to all his games and stuff...  
 **lazyidiot12** : it's so annoying!!

 **gdsjikseosllosoljm** : Lol.

 **lazyidiot12** : omg. nvm. pls, don't say that

 **gdsjikseosllosoljm** : Okay, fine. What's your friend's deal with that guy anyway?

 **lazyidiot12** : um idk  
 **lazyidiot12** : she thinks he's handsome or something ??  
 **lazyidiot12** : T__T the worst part is that he has like loads of fangirls!! and they're always competing for his attention   
**lazyidiot12** : every time we go to a game it gives me a headache

Masazumi furrows his eyebrows. _Is she from Miyagi? Is she talking about Oikawa?_

 **gdsjikseosllosoljm** : Oh no, that's awful. I hope she doesn't make you go anymore.   
  
**lazyidiot12** : thank u waaaa  
 **lazyidiot12** : sometimes I feel like you're the only person I have  
 **lazyidiot12** : and Idek your name...

 **gdsjikseosllosoljm** : We can change that. What's your name?

 **lazyidiot12** : Takeuchi Ayano  
 **lazyidiot12** : everyone calls me by my first name tho

 **gdsjikseosllosoljm** : You have a nice name.  
 **gdsjikseosllosoljm** : My name is Kurosawa Masazumi.|

He hesitates.

 **gdsjikseosllosoljm** : My name is Kuro|  
 **gdsjikseosllosoljm** : My name is |  
 **gdsjikseosllosoljm** : My name is Achikita Shiro.

 **lazyidiot12** : lol it doesn't fit you

 **gdsjikseosllosoljm** : Neither does yours...

 **lazyidiot12** : if you call me Ayano can I call you Shiro

 **gdsjikseosllosoljm** : Sure. I don't care either way.

 **lazyidiot12** : >:( ok be this way

_April 26._

He's running out of time to join the basketball club. It's not like applications are going to be open forever, and from what he's heard the club itself is high in demand.

Trudging along the hallway with one mission in mind―which is to find the right club room in the nick of time―he's abruptly stopped by a sleepy-looking guy, most likely an upperclassman. His grasp lingers on Masazumi's shoulder as he speaks and Masazumi can't help feeling a little nervous at his drawled out words. "Hey. Join the football club."

"But, um―"

"Please. We suck and we need to meet a quota," he says honestly. 

Masazumi considers him for a moment. That means there most likely aren't many good players on the team and if he practices enough, he could become a regular. That could be an easy opportunity for making friends or even gaining popularity. Oikawa Tooru has fangirls, why wouldn't he?

Zipping his mouth shut of complaints, he decides to hesitantly nod as to avoid coming off as overly-excited. "Give me the application."

"Oh, you agreed? Cool," the boy says, indifference painted over his mien. "I'm Agawa from Class 2-1 and the vice president."

"I'm Masazumi from 1-5―"

"Nice. I don't care though. Now follow me," Agawa cuts him off quickly, which irritates the other boy but he cowers regardless. Not like causing a fight with the airheaded vice-captain will give him any brownie points.

_May 17th_.

Things in the volleyball club have been stagnant. Agawa didn't lie―no one seems to be interested in them. Even though football is one of the most popular sports worldwide, the team's members are so disinteresting and cookie-cutter that no one wants to watch them play. It'd simply be a bore. 

Masazumi's blandness and lack of an apparent personality help him perfectly blend in with them, though this isn't what he desired in the first place. None of them are overtly intrigued by him or his affairs and he barely talks to them outside of a few words here and there during practice. He's been adequate in terms of learning the rules, at least. The club members themselves aren't that many, though. 

So when Agawa walks in with a few girls trailing idly behind him, Masazumi is surprised. 

You catch his eye immediately. 

The fact that you were a participant in the conversation that brought his attention towards Oikawa Tooru is always somewhere in the back of his mind. What's more important, though, is that you're slowly becoming an _it-girl_ in this school. He's been hearing things about the funny things you've said or done by his classmates and it seems that everyone wants a taste. 

Why can't he do the same thing?

"Hey, so as you guys may or may not know we have a tournament coming up. We're going to lose in the first game, don't get me wrong, but I arranged something with the cheerleading club so that we don't look like losers. Please be nice to them," Agawa explains. 

Masazumi didn't know that there's a cheerleading club until now. It could be new, though, considering how most of the members look like first or second-years at most.

The fellow lames of his club croak out a greeting and that's that. Agawa commands them to continue practicing rather than gawking around and so, Masazumi returns to following his captain's instructions about stretching. 

In the corner of his eye though, he watches Agawa explain something to you and another girl. He's generally a person who doesn't talk a lot and when it does, it unintentionally stings. You, however, seem to find him charming and play along with his blunt remarks.

Masazumi scoffs.

_May 22nd_.

 **lazyidiot12** : how's your club?

 **gdsjikseosllosoljm** : Boring and lame.

 **lazyidiot12** : you should consider being more diverse with these responses  
 **lazyidiot12** : it's getting boring

 **gdsjikseosllosoljm** : Haha, what's this? A problem in paradise?

 **lazyidiot12** : tbh  
 **lazyidiot12** : idk I just  
 **lazyidiot12** : my parents r getting divorced and I have to pick who to go with  
 **lazyidiot12** : I want to go with my dad but my mom would be so so mad and disappointed  
 **lazyidiot12** : I just wanna talk to get my mind off of it

 **gdsjikseosllosoljm** : Oh.  
 **gdsjikseosllosoljm** : I'm sorry, I shouldn't have said that.

 **lazyidiot12** : yea whatever  
 **lazyidiot12** : it's not your fault  
 **lazyidiot12** : my best friend doesn't care

 **gdsjikseosllosoljm** : I'm sure she does, she's probably just not good at expressing it.

 **lazyidiot12** : she doesn't  
 **lazyidiot12** : all she cares about is ugly boys  
 **lazyidiot12** : I wanna talk to her about it so bad

 **gdsjikseosllosoljm** : What about your other friends? And why do you call someone like that your best friend?

 **lazyidiot12** : you know I have none right  
 **lazyidiot12** : and that's why she's my best friend cuz she's my only one  
 **lazyidiot12** : or maybe you're my best friend would that be alright ??? 

**gdsjikseosllosoljm** : Of course. :) I think you should go with your dad if that's what you want.  
 **gdsjikseosllosoljm** : Do you wanna talk about it? Or something else?

 **lazyidiot12** : um   
**lazyidiot12** : can u distract me instead

 **gdsjikseosllosoljm** : I have a game soon.

 **lazyidiot12** : you don't sound like you'd be good at basketball

 **gdsjikseosllosoljm** :I'm alright at it.

 **lazyidiot12** : what are your teammates like?

 **gdsjikseosllosoljm** : Vice-captain is a tool. The actual captain likes stretching a lot. There's not much to say about them.

 **lazyidiot12** : oh well  
 **lazyidiot12** : good luck on your game

_May 27th_.

For one, Masazumi didn't expect his team to win at all. (A part of it was most likely the other team sucking a lot, though).

No one visibly cared about the ordeal so once more he was dissatisfied by the lack of applause or gratefulness towards him for landing the final goal. He wipes his sweat and watches as everyone starts to scramble and leave. The only thing he gained out of this is another match to look forward to. 

"Congratulations," you say.

He gapes at you, reply no more than a weak mutter. "Thanks."

The interaction is over before he can even properly register what has happened and then he watches you move onto the next guy with the same words of felicitation. The only one that receives a high-five is Agawa. "Hmm, I thought you were a bunch of losers. That's what you said, no?"

"Maybe you being here boosts team morale," he says suggestively. Then, a flirtatious smirk―and honestly, a bit _sleazy_ ―tugs over Agawa's lips in a manner unlike himself. _How peculiar._

"Yeah, yeah." You dismiss him with a wave of your hand before retreating along with the rest of the cheerleaders. Masazumi can only watch.

 **gdsjikseosllosoljm** : We won the game.

 **lazyidiot12** : :O  
 **lazyidiot12** : it's unlike you to txt first   
**lazyidiot12** : does that make you happy

 **gdsjikseosllosoljm** : No. I just thought I'd let you know.

 **lazyidiot12** : lol  
 **lazyidiot12** : alright edgelord  
 **lazyidiot12** : gotta go to another volleyball game next week btw... :(

 **gdsjikseosllosoljm** : Say no.

 **lazyidiot12** : what

 **gdsjikseosllosoljm** : If you don't want to go just lie that you can't or something. I don't know. It's not like you're obliged to.

 **lazyidiot12** : I'll think about it

_June 3rd._

Ayano might not be going to Oikawa's game, but Masazumi sure is. He'd told his mother something about 'school spirit' when asked where he's going on a Sunday, perhaps because it's such a rare occurrence.

He doesn't know much about the sport. Usually, he's the type to sit it out during PE. The team they're fighting against is Shiratorizawa, his school's alleged rivals and so, the cheerleading club is present once more. The person he's fixated the most on, though, is Oikawa Tooru himself.

The best way to describe him would be someone as serious as a businessman on the court but mentally regresses five years once the game is over and done with. Truly, their team was defeated and swept away like dust in the exuberance of Shiratorizawa's win. Masazumi can only apathetically observe as his classmates cry about something that cannot be undone. 

(Ayano was right though, his fangirls are truly and unbearably loud.)

_June 18th._

Masazumi leans against one of the school's railings, overseeing the vast yard. He fights the urge to stomp his foot impatiently as he waits for the rest of his teammates to emerge. He'll go to that meat place with them―very begrudgingly at that―and have it be over with. The only thing that surrounds him is an awkward silence shared with the perpetually-bored Agawa who sits bored next to him.

In the yard, you and Oikawa are jogging together. He's too far away to hear what you're conversing about in-between tired gasps, however, the sight still bewilders him. He knows that you're Iwaizumi's friend though he's never seen you talk to Oikawa before, not even at the games. 

"They've been at it for a while." The comment is brief and he's talking to himself more so than to his supposed companion. His remark, though, doesn't go ignored.

Agawa takes this as an opportunity to be annoying. But, to be fair, he does that in most situations anyway. "Fuck! Oikawa stole my girlfriend! Can't have shit in Detroit," he yells across the field, long enough for both you and Oikawa to immediately turn your attention towards the duo. 

After successfully annoying you, Agawa can only smirk as you flip him off and stick your tongue out at him. Oikawa appears to be distressed at the prospect of an upperclassman calling him out for a mere second but quickly gets over it. The two of you halt your jog and he fires off some random bullshit about being hurt which, in return, makes you seemingly antagonize him further. This makes him fake emotional turmoil. 

"We're not in Detroit, Agawa- _san_ ," Masazumi states blandly. Then, he speaks out of curiosity. "Are you and [L/n]-san dating for real?" 

"God, lame. Nah, we're just messing around. Why, are you jealous or something?" he chuckles sardonically.

"No."

"Good. It'd be a pity. Girls like her don't like negative creeps like you."

"Ouch," Masazumi gasps fakely. Deep down, he feels nothing.

"I'm just speaking in your best interest, man."

_Social adeptness is just a game of artificial charm._

_September 13th._

Summer vacation has long come and gone. School life is resuming as usual for Masazumi until one strange conversation occurs during one of his breaks. Two girls from his class approach him with slight curiosity written over their faces.

"Masazumi-san, did you work out during the summer or something?" one of them asks after a short amount of silence, something teasing lingering in her tone as well as her expression. 

"Um, a little," he admits like it's a bad thing. Almost guiltily. 

The other one tilts her head. "And you've grown taller too!"

"Yeah, I guess." 

Their strange and sudden interest in him seems to die down at the sound of his bland responses. Regardless, they press on to get just a bit more out of him as if to decide whether he's worth their time or not. "You're in the football club, aren't you?"

_I'll prove you wrong._

His face morphs into something indistinguishable and foreign―for Kurosawa Masazumi, the _negative creep_ , does not smile without his facial muscles hurting―a certain type of grin. He's seen it tugging at the corner of your lips lopsidedly, he's seen it on Agawa's face when he's trying to be more appealing than usual. 

He's seen Oikawa Tooru beam like that day after day spent in this school. An expression that's artificial much akin to fluorescent lighting. "Yeah. I'll be waiting for you at our next practice if you're interested." _I don't care. I don't care. I don't care._

The two look at each other in surprise at his boldness, trying to reach some sort of telepathic consensus. Usually, he's mild-mannered and mild, not one to talk in sentences longer than three words max. This is certainly a development. Not a positive nor a negative one, but a development nonetheless.

The taller girl nods while the other one smiles. "Don't disappoint us, alright?"

_October 6th_.

 **gdsjikseosllosoljm** : Hi. We haven't talked in a while, have we?

 **okbye** : no we haven't  
 **okbye** : thought u forgot about me lol

 **gdsjikseosllosoljm** : I would never do you dirty like that. You know, I'm not like all your other associates. I've just been a bit busy, is all.  
 **gdsjikseosllosoljm** : I see you changed your name?

 **okbye** : the other one was stupid   
**okbye** : but tbh so is this one  
 **okbye** : so what you got a club and new friends or some shit n ur gonna stop talking to me & then act all mighty 'I'm not like other girls' when I'm like I thought u forgot about me?

 **gdsjikseosllosoljm** : No, please, it's not like that.

 **okbye** : :/

 **gdsjikseosllosoljm** : Listen, I've been failing a few classes and I don't have time to chat. I have to study all day and get tutored during the after-hours.|

That's not true in the slightest, he's always been a good student; he's been simply hanging out with his classmates for days on end and when he comes home, he's too exhausted to engage in further socialization. He sends the text anyway.

 **gdsjikseosllosoljm** : We've always been here for each other. Let's keep it that way, yeah?

Takeuchi Ayano is a fragile girl despite her cold exterior. She'll fall into the illusions that his words are true and agree, hanging onto the last hope of a genuine relationship. She always does. Truly, she's predictable.

 **okbye** : I  
 **okbye** : alright  
 **okbye** : you're right sorry  
 **okbye** : did you need something

 **gdsjikseosllosoljm** : No, I just wanted to talk for a bit.  
 **gdsjikseosllosoljm** : Is everything alright with your parents?

 **okbye** : yes  
 **okbye** : I went with my dad:)   
**okbye** : thank you for encouraging me I guess

 **gdsjikseosllosoljm** : What about your best friend?

 **okbye** : she's mad that I don't go with her to the games anymore...  
 **okbye** : but I think it's better this way

 **gdsjikseosllosoljm** : I think so too. That's why I suggested it, anyway. You sounded irritated.

 **okbye** : yea  
 **okbye** : let's talk about something else ok  
 **okbye** : what's up w/ u other than ur classes

 **gdsjikseosllosoljm** : I think I should get a haircut.  
 **gdsjikseosllosoljm** : Any suggestions?

 **okbye** : lol ur giving me too much responsibility  
 **okbye** : what about an undercut? they're cute

▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅

_April 23rd._

There is a new first-year in the club. Your club, that is.

She smiles and feigns politeness, you being ignorant of the way she rolls her eyes behind your back. Masazumi silently observes the way she puts childish pins in her hair, tongue stuck out grazing over her braces. After he gets bored staring, he decides to introduce himself. "Hey."

"Hi." She jumps up as if she's startled by his intervention but her rigidness quickly disappears once she takes note of him. Regardless, there's something guarded about the way she carries herself.

"You're from the cheerleading club, right? I'm Masazumi. We'll be working together very soon," he says in what he means to be a promising tone, the corners of his lips lifting. A small smile is what he's going for.

She shakes his hand. The mention of his name, however, makes her appear more interested than she was before. "I'm Amari."

"You have a lovely name, Amari- _chan_ ," he compliments. "Cute like you."

She doesn't seem to be weirded out by his behavior, so he takes it as a step in the right direction. "Thank you. See you around."

 **gdsjikseosllosoljm** : Are you studying again? 

**okbye** : ya  
 **okbye** : my friend wants to get into this high school because of mr handsome  
 **okbye** : so im just stuck studying every day...

 **gdsjikseosllosoljm** : Mr. Handsome? Haha, that's new.

 **okbye** : I don't like himmmmm  
 **okbye** : he's sleazy!!! T__T  
 **okbye** : I'm very glad you're nothing like him

 **gdsjikseosllosoljm** : No way. Even if I wanted to, I don't have it in me.  
 **gdsjikseosllosoljm** : But if you don't want to go to this school, you should tell your friend to screw off.|  
 **gdsjikseosllosoljm** : But if you don't want to go to this scho|  
  
He thinks of a few ways to rewrite the message but erases it anyway.  
  
 **gdsjikseosllosoljm** : But good luck with studying.

 **okbye** : thank u :)

_May 19th._

Masazumi fidgets in his seat a little. He's early and he usually prefers to watch the Shiratorizawa games―where, inevitably, his school always loses and that gives him a certain amount of twisted satisfaction―but decided to give this one a chance. Johzenji or something? Not that he cares too much.

You sit down next to him in a casual manner, some kind of drink in your hands. He scoots farther away on instinct. It's like for a moment you don't take note of him at all and after you get yourself comfortable, you're struck by an epiphany. "Hey, Masazumi. What're you doing here?"

_Am I suspicious? Am I doing something wrong right now?_

"Nothing in particular. I was curious, you know? Iwaizumi-san is my classmate, so," he lies easily. It's not like he can admit to going to every match without coming off as strange.

"Yeah, I know."

_What's that supposed to mean? Do you think I'm weird? Does Iwaizumi think I'm weird?_

The match passes with an established silence between you two. Masazumi doesn't mind, it's not like he's dying to talk to you. Rather, he's once more found himself drawn towards Oikawa on the court, his presence much more apparent than the other players; be it because of his fangirls' incessant screams whenever he does the bare minimum (like _breathing_ ) or because of his ever-evolving ways of play and techniques. 

Masazumi wants to be like that, too. 

You bid him goodbye before descending the stairs and greeting your friends from the volleyball club. After giving out your congratulations, you and Iwaizumi take part in some kind of complicated handshake, which leaves the ones he believes to be named Hanamaki and Mattsun staring. They try to imitate it, but fail after approximately two seconds and give up. 

You're suddenly pulled aside by one of the regulars from Johzenji. He has a _sort-of_ punk look but not really. You play along with whatever it is that he's saying until Oikawa appears and starts trying to regain your attention like a neglected child. How pathetic.

Masazumi scoffs, pulls his hood up and leaves, unnoticed.

_June 3rd_.

"Did you end up asking Masazumi?" Kanamori asks. She's a bit of a dimwit, much like Ayano, from what Masazumi has seen of her. At the mention of his name, he stiffens and becomes more convinced that he should keep his presence concealed as to listen in some more.

You light up your cigarette before responding. "Nah. I talked to Iwa about it and he said he doesn't wanna hang out with _The Bootleg Oikawa_." To emphasize the given nickname, you put air-quotes around it. 

"I mean, isn't he creepy though?" Kanamori prods. "Motherfucker started acting all different out of nowhere. Going to parties and shit, he used to barely talk."

You let out a non-committal sound rather than saying anything definitive. _What does that mean? What are you thinking, what, what, what?_

"Bootleg Oikawa?" Setsuna asks incredulously. After a moment, though, she shakes her head and continues her babbling. "Well, whatever. The actual Oikawa is coming, right?"

Kanamori nods. 

_June 18th_.

Seeing Iwaizumi, Oikawa, Masazumi, and Agawa in one room is practically unheard of. Having them all participating in the same conversation is straight-up bizarre. Masazumi is aware of the fact that Iwaizumi dislikes him, so the boy's slight glare isn't as surprising as it is off-putting. He's just breathing right now, isn't he?

"You see, we have a very important game against Shiratorizawa! Have you seen their cheer squad? Of course, you haven't. Anyways, we need some noise," Oikawa says before crossing his arms over his chest and looking to the side. 

The football and volleyball club coincidentally both have a match on the same day. You and Kanamori had instructed them to settle this themselves and it came to this. Whatever _this_ is.

"Your fangirls make enough noise." Agawa taps his temple as if to indicate a history with headaches and Iwaizumi grunts, most likely disliking the fact that his upperclassman is making a point. "You've got like, a legion."

An awkward silence ensues. Agawa nudges him as the football club's official new poster boy. "Come on man, say something."

Masazumi opens his mouth and it feels like for the first time in forever, Oikawa's innocent and unassuming gaze is redirected towards him. The prominence in the disappointed slant of Iwaizumi's eyebrow doesn't cease. He averts his eyes and clams up, suddenly nervous. "Umm..."

"Thank you for that," Agawa says sarcastically, a Cheshire grin taking over his face before he slings his arm over Masazumi's shoulder. 

Oikawa forgets about his presence momentarily, instead opting to focus on the annoying upperclassman. He blinks once, twice, until he's struck by a realization as to what his next tactic will be in this not-battle of wits. 

"Well, Agawa-san, I just think that you're trying to win [L/n]-chan back. You have an ulterior motive!" Oikawa accuses childishly, pointing his index finger at Agawa's face. 

Iwaizumi groans, hitting his best friend's abdomen harshly. "Shittykawa, for the love of God and everything holy, can you _not be embarrassing for_ ―"

"What're you saying, dude? She has a boyfriend." Agawa's laughter has never sounded this antagonizing before.

"What?" Oikawa says, scandalized. He looks towards Iwaizumi for confirmation. The latter provides no more than a shrug and a nod of his head. "Who?"

"The pee-head from Johzenji. Get with the program, gel-for-brains." Ouch. Agawa is being a little too ruthless today it seems. 

_Is he jealous or something? Wait, you're dating that guy you talked to at the game? The hell?_

Oikawa once more tries to act offended, a small pout over his face, and more bickering ensues. In the end, though, Agawa's biting remarks cause the setter to admit defeat (and Iwaizumi to roll his eyes). Your time for the football club has been secured.

 **gdsjikseosllosoljm** :Should I bleach my hair?

 **okbye** :lmao  
 **okbye** :idk man  
 **okbye** :live ur truth

_June 23rd._

_I am a deranged freak._

His fingers hover shakily over Agawa's contact number. No, no, there's still time to not do this, he could just be an asshole and not say anything. Before he knows it though, he has pressed the button. His captain answers almost immediately, annoyance seething from his every word. "Dude. Where are you? We need to go, _now_."

"I'm sorry, I'm sick, I can't go. I've been vomiting all morning." None of that is true.

"Ugh, you should've said so earlier," Agawa scolds. With that final note, Masazumi registers the distinctive beep of his phone. The call is over. He lets out a breath he didn't realize he was holding in, his grip untightening from the bench. 

_I am a deranged freak._

The telltale whistle signifies the beginning of the fated and ever-recurring Shiratorizawa VS Aobajohsai match. Masazumi doesn't hold much hope that there will be a different result this time around, either, though he prefers it that way. He tries to go back where he's most comfortable―lurking in the shadows rather than the spotlight he chases so desperately―and cowers behind the fangirls that are in the front row. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hi sorry if this chapter feels "incomplete" but for accessibility reasons/to be digested easier i decided to split the contents into a 2/3rd! 
> 
> however, I don't know when the next chapter will be posted. I've been busy participating in the movement & trying to be there for my friends to the best of my ability.
> 
> I've been considering making a humorous textfic that is 1. easier to update more often i guess 2. something to cheer people up (?) tell me what you guys think
> 
> also sorry if there are many typos I've been a bit out of it mentally the past few days so I did proofread but might've not noticed
> 
> **Enough of this bullshit tho, posting these again:**
> 
> **!!<https://blacklivesmatters.carrd.co> !! !! <https://blmsites.carrd.co> !!**
> 
> **!!<https://blackliveswillalwaysmatter.carrd.co> !!**
> 
> **Don't let your activism only be online or a trend. Don't let people forget this even when social media "goes back to normal". Keep this energy in real life, challenge your racist acquaintances & family members, don't go along with their anti-black remarks. Educate the people around you rather than waiting for black people to spoon-feed you information. Don't make anti-racist statements be just mere 'brownie points', let's not circle-jerk each other when we speak about this. It should be expected.**
> 
> **Don't feel bad if you are unable to protest or donate. However, if you're actively ignoring this problem when you're non-black because it "gives you anxiety" or something, I honestly hope you feel bad. Black people don't get the privilege to sign off the timeline and turn a blind eye.**
> 
> **Silence is violence.**


	18. Sins & Punishments

_July 6th._

Masazumi is dizzy, not accustomed to this new partying life. At first, he'd crashed a few times under the pretense of arriving fashionably late, though now he's been invited. The air has the atmosphere of something carrying a deadly infection and his skin perspires, making his clothes stick to it.

More nausea hits him in waves and he feels himself stumbling on the way to the bathroom, forcing him to lay his weight against the wall for a moment of recollection. Masazumi inhales, trying to ignore the heat and the way the current song's bass is shaking his every nerve as he enters the bathroom and hastily locks himself inside.

The bile rises from his throat and escapes this time, only to be flushed away sometime later. Masazumi wipes his mouth with his already wet hand but is otherwise undisturbed by his grossness.

He could imitate the people in his life all he wanted, he could copy their mannerisms. Agawa has always been good with handling his alcohol, but Masazumi can't pretend to be when he has the mouth of a virgin when it comes to liquor.

He rests against the wall and wipes his forehead, feeling the sweat and stickiness. A note about it being unpleasant is made absentmindedly in his head. He pulls out his phone but the worse his headache gets, the more counterproductive this trip to the bathroom becomes.

Masazumi is not made for this. He already knows that.

 **okbye** : hey... u haven't been responding lately

 **okbye** : hello?  
 **okbye** : if u don't wanna be friends anymore u can just say it

 **okbye** : seriously u have ur reading receipts on

 **gdsjikseosllosoljm** : Sorry sorrysoryr  
 **gdsjikseosllosoljm** : How have you been

 **okbye** : oh u responded  
 **okbye** : fine I guess  
 **okbye** : now that I have someone to talk to

 **gdsjikseosllosoljm** : Hahaha  
 **gdsjikseosllosoljm** : No need to be passive-aggressive like that

 **okbye** : sorry

 **gdsjikseosllosoljm** : It's fine I wouldbnt be mad at you for something petty like that you know that right 

**okbye** : yea of course  
 **okbye** : my fault for assuming

The words blur in and out of focus in front of him. He's losing his tact with the possibility of him puking again rising higher and abruptly, he realizes his aching migraine has somehow gotten worse. Someone knocks on the door but he ignores them as to type another text.

 **gdsjikseosllosoljm** : Yo  
 **gdsjikseosllosoljm** : I feel nauseous  
 **gdsjikseosllosoljm** : So sorry if I say something stupid

 **okbye** : yea I noticed youre typing  
 **okbye** : oddly  
 **okbye** : why don't u go outside for some fresh air?

Finding the suggestion satisfactory, he twists the doorknob open and is startled to see Oikawa face-to-face with him. He looks unimpressed. "Rough night?" he grumbles.

"Is that a diss or what?" Masazumi snaps, annoyed, before getting out of the way. _There goes Mr. Popular again._ Oikawa decides that it's not worth gratifying him with a reply, however, probably too aggravated from having to hold his pee in.

Clumsily, Masazumi makes his way around until he finds the backdoor. He immediately feels better when the air outside cools him down, though before he can make his way out entirely, he freezes. There's a familiar voice as well as someone else's, arguing. 

With the slightest of motions, he looks towards the source. It's you and your boyfriend, having some sort of feud. He can't exactly make out what you're saying, but his curiosity has peaked. Masazumi tries to get within earshot and once he does, he realizes the situation is more personal than he'd anticipated.

 _Well, that didn't last very long,_ he thinks to himself once it becomes apparent that you're on the brink of breaking up with that guy Terushima. In school, he feigns ignorance and pretends he doesn't know his name or anything about him apart from the fact that he's your boyfriend, but once more that's just a bold lie. 

Considering this opportunity to document the occasion, Masazumi tries to hide further―realistically speaking, he isn't overly concerned about being caught when taking into account how into this ongoing argument both of you are―and pulls out his phone, zooming in. Incidentally catching the last moments of your dying, short-lived relationship.

"Come on, think this over," Terushima tries to bargain. 

"No!" you yell, infuriated. "These girls from your school have been telling me you were trying to hit them up, and we're still together. Fuck you, dude."

"It wasn't anything serious," he justifies. "They were just being dramatic. To, er, split us up."

You just glare at him. "Just 'cause I'm drunk doesn't mean I'm about to buy your bullshit. I saw the texts, Terushima."

"Well, maybe I was drunk when I sent that."

"You're drunk now and you're being dumber than usual. It's not endearing anymore." You tilt your head to the side, bitter amusement at his idiotic excuses clear over your face.

"So what, you can't tell me you haven't tried it with some other dude. I mean, come on, you spend most of your time with that Iwaizumi dude, and you're all buddy-buddy with Oikawa-san. Not to mention you still text your hoes from Shiratorizawa."

"I don't have 'hoes'―" you emphasize the word with air-quotes, "―they're called _friends._ "

"And they're all guys? Give me a break."

From then on, the argument becomes more unhinged and less coherent, if at all. The word cheater gets thrown around and as you get more heated, Masazumi decides to end the recording and leave the scene.

 **okbye** : hello?  
 **okbye** : are u there?  
 **okbye** : pls don't leave again

_July 8th._

Masazumi had expected your breakup with Terushima to be more dramatic, but in reality, it ended in an anti-climactic manner. There were even some people who seemed to be unaware of the ordeal he'd anticipated might put a dent in both of your reputations. 

He isn't sure what to do with that recording, either. Should he delete it? That'd be the right thing to do―probably―but he feels like it might come in handy someday. Perhaps an opportunity to weaponise it will arise.

Agawa's dull conversation with him comes to a stop once the first-year named Setsuna approaches with a fake smile on her face. "You're from the football club, aren't you?"

"We met already," Masazumi says curtly before internally shaking his head as a reminder to stay polite. 

"Oh, we did? You should play beer pong with me, [L/n]-san and Oikawa-san," she offers, completely disregarding what he'd just said. When he seems reluctant, her expression shifts to something more barbaric, which makes him wince and accept the proposal regardless of his wishes. That contents Setsuna and she runs off somewhere.

Before he can follow, Agawa mutters something along the lines of _good luck lightweight_ , which makes Masazumi's frown deepen. He fights the urge to retort and instead feigns ignorance to the remark before joining Setsuna. 

You and Oikawa stand at the other end of the table, talking about something among yourselves with wide grins plastered over your faces. Setsuna pulls him down slightly and whispers indiscreetly. "He's into her."

"He is?" Masazumi asks mundanely, not very interested in their affairs. Though if they were to get together, that'd surely make people talk. And that wouldn't be very pleasant. 

"Yes! It's annoying me and my bestie."

"Your bestie?"

She opens her mouth to blabber once more, but is interrupted by Oikawa's greeting. Like some kind of deranged dog, she lights up and turns towards him, which makes Masazumi cross his arms over his chest in masked annoyance. The four of you go over the rules, which is good for him since he hasn't played before, and the game begins.

Masazumi's throws become sloppier and the dialogue around him loses its meaning the more he drinks. He can't tell if you or Oikawa are pitying him or if he even looks half as fucked up as he feels, but it's making him irritated.

_What would Agawa do in this situation? Probably be smug about his loss, much like on the court._

So he just smirks and continues downing his shots towards oblivion. You and Oikawa are dubbed winners and shortly after you begin a rematch, which results in Masazumi's second loss for the night.

_July 10th._

"Your place looks like shit," Masazumi comments with little tact. Usually whatever he says is carefully thought-out and even if the intoxication itself has left his system, his head is splitting with a terrible migraine. Somehow, Setsuna had roped him into walking her home―they had left the party at 4 AM and who knows how late it is now. 

_Right, she likes Oikawa, and I'm the next best thing..._

"Mhm," she slurs, agreeable, though he's sure that his words aren't even registering in her head. 

He avoids all the garbage thrown on the floor and slightly entertains the reason why it's so dirty in her house in his head, but then disregards all of his theories out of tiredness. "It's late. Can I crash here for the night?"

“Of course.” Despite her warm tone, she pushes him out of the way, expertly walks around all the rubbish that has accumulated in her house and finds her room, rolling onto the bed. Masazumi follows her and lies like a starfish on the floor. 

He can't seem to fall asleep, no matter how fatigued he feels. 

"You said something about your best friend at the party," he says in a quiet tone. Masazumi doesn't except her to hear him neither answer, but then, there's a response.

"Yeah! You see, she made this gossip page, and she's afraid of being caught, and if she's caught, maybe Oikawa would hate us both," she rambles nonsensically before grabbing what he presumes to be her blanket.

"No, I don't think he'd care." He's just trying to placate her, though he's not sure why he's lying.

"You really think so?"

"Yeah. What's the page?"

"Dramaseijoh on Instagram. It's not very popular though, 'cause nothing interesting ever happens in this school."

"What's your friend's name?"

He doesn't get a response. Rather, Setsuna snores and Masazumi concludes that their conversation is over. Somewhere among overthinking this strange occurrence, his mind drifts off to sleep. 

When he awakens, it's already noon and his mom is blowing up his phone. He ignores the vibration of the device against his thigh and instead decides to spend his time more productively, perhaps by looking for some painkillers as his hang-over is yet to go away.

Setsuna seems to be gone and the slight sound of water hitting tiles coming from faraway shows that she's probably taking a shower. He decides that he's too impatient to wait for her and begins snooping around, looking for a medicine cabinet. 

Finally, he spots it and starts searching for the sacred ibuprofen that's nowhere in sight. There are a lot of foreign pill containers with complicated names that he doesn't understand, but he easily ignores them since they're of no use to him.

His grip lingers on one of them. Masazumi squints as he reads, trying to confirm whether it's a pain-killer, until Setsuna storms back in with a crease in her brow. He analyzes its name to the point where he memorizes it.

"Don't snoop around without permission." Setsuna doesn't give him any time to react―she smacks his arm, making it sting.

He looks towards the ground. "Sorry, I was just looking for painkillers."

"I don't have any for weirdos who sneak around girls' rooms. Get out!" 

To avoid any more hits, he complies and leaves without a word. Once he's made his way outside, Setsuna warns him 'not to tell anyone' with a venomous edge to her tone. 

_July 11th._

Setsuna is, in objective terms, a cute girl. However, if you cross her, she can be quite menacing. Masazumi is overwhelmed by a strange sense of panic once he sees her approaching. It's instinctual for him to try to run back to the shadows where he'd once been comfortable in, but she's too quick.

Grabbing him by the collar, she forces him to bend to her eye-level. He could've pushed her off, but he's struck with a lingering sense of fear. 

"Did you tell anyone?" Her words are spoken through gritted teeth, and Setsuna narrows her eyes in a dangerous slant.

"No," he replies. Then, since she doesn't look convinced, he adds on, "I don't even know what that _was_." Which is a lie because he had looked it up the moment he set foot back in his house, but whatever.

Masazumi notes how he keeps lying―lying and lying _and lying_ , like he can't help himself. Something terrible has awakened in him; it starts with Oikawa Tooru's smile and ends somewhere in the smoke from your cigarettes, lost in the sky and polluting the air. 

Setsuna doesn't look satisfied with that. Still, she lets him go with that ugly scowl on her face and begins stomping off. Masazumi ponders the situation and figures that making an enemy out of her wouldn't be a good thing for his reputation. Instead of moving on with his day, he reaches out to her. "I'm sorry for snooping around your house. Let me make it up to you somehow?"

He leaves his offer open-ended, more of a question than a statement. With great interest, he takes in the way her expression shifts and now that he's aware of her condition, Masazumi notices her temperamental attitude too much. It reminds him of Ayano, even if only a little. 

Her expression becomes more pleasant. Clapping her hands, Setsuna announces her request. "Great! You should carry my stuff for a week or something."

Masazumi lip trembles a bit. _No, that'd be too time consuming._ "Sure, anything for you."

_July 12th._

**okbye** : you are changing.

 **gdsjikseosllosoljm** : I'm not a kid anymore, we all change. You will, too.

 **okbye** : it's not a good change.

 **gdsjikseosllosoljm** : I know that|  
 **gdsjikseosllosoljm** :I kn|  
 **gdsjikseosllosoljm** : I'm sorry I haven't been here for you. But you know how it is, vice-captain of the basketball club and all.

Masazumi scolds himself for almost slipping up and writing 'football' instead of 'basketball'. He's been lying so much as of late that it's hard to keep track. He doesn't even remember the fake name that he gave her, the details of all the false lives that he has blurring around the edges.

 **okbye** : no actually i dont because you're my only friend and you left me.  
 **okbye** : and turned into some kind of attention whore just like tashiro  
 **okbye** : i'm fucking sick of it

 **gdsjikseosllosoljm** : Tashiro? Is that your friend? How is she as of late?

 **okbye** : does it matter.

 **gdsjikseosllosoljm** : No, I suppose not.  
 **gdsjikseosllosoljm** : But you know, I can't help being curious. You're my friend.

 **okbye** : why do you have to do this all the time

 **gdsjikseosllosoljm** : Do what? Try my best to be here for you despite being so busy nowadays? I mean, you'll get it when you go to high-school soon.

Ayano doesn't respond for a while, even if she's usually eager to reply. It has become apparent that she has no intention of responding or even acknowledging him anytime soon. Masazumi swallows dryly as a foreign anger washes over him. Or is it irritation? 

He wonders what to do for a moment, to cope with this lack of apathy inside his system. Masazumi knows that it will come back, and he wishes that it would sooner. Because he has settled with mediocrity for so long, it has now become his only sense of comfort.

He fiddles with his phone for a while, looking through his photos. He stumbles upon the video he took of you and Terushima breaking up, which reminds him of that account Setsuna mentioned when she was drunk out of her mind. 

Masazumi makes a burner Instagram account and sends the video. It's like catharsis which overrules the guilt he would not feel regardless and that's soothing.

_July 19th._

The video had gone viral even outside the premises of Aoba Johsai and that drama account had blown up. Setsuna bragged to him about it, actually―since they're _kind of_ friends now, which means she's nothing more than a nuisance to him but she's attached to him. Masazumi kicks the dirt under his sneakers in a daze, hidden under the shade of the school building. 

He doesn't expect anyone to be there. He doesn't mean to find your smoking spot. 

But here you are, with that bitch Kanamori in tow. The two of you are cackling about something like witches and he tries to conceal his presence, flattening his back against the wall. His breaths turn even more shallow than usual.

"Can't believe your hacker buddy pranked Terushima," Kanamori muses aloud, though she sounds amused. 

"That's what he gets for that stupid social media stunt he pulled." Masazumi can hear the scoff in your voice.

"He's trying to say that you did it, you know?"

"Yep."

"Do you still like him or something?"

"Why do you say that?"

"I don't know." A moment of silence passes. Masazumi imagines Kanamori shrugging, the motion jerky and uneven because that's the way she moves. "You only really smoke when you're stressed, so."

"'s a nasty habit," you mumble. 

Masazumi isn't sure how much longer the two of you hang around there in eerie silence. The two of you might be friends, sure, but not that close from what he's observed, so perhaps you ran out of things to discuss. After a while, he hears two pairs of disappearing footsteps and one last remark from Kanamori which ignites his temper like the day he sent the video. "Hey, you don't need to worry. Oikawa is totally into you and you'd be like a power couple."

He almost kicks the tree (though it wouldn't have deserved that) until he's interrupted. Agawa appears out of thin air just to mock him, because that's seemingly his calling in life. "Were you eavesdropping on them or something? _Creepy._ "

_September 25th._

Amari Setsuna is such a sloppy person.

Her first mistake is probably hanging around Masazumi so comfortably. He has other friends too, of course, and he's been the primary reason behind the expansion of the football club. He's popular like he's always wanted to be, but it's like everyone's gut instincts know not to get close and veer them toward the unattainable Oikawa Tooru instead.

Gut instincts that Setsuna doesn't have.

He has memorized her phone's password because she almost flaunts it whenever she rushes to show him something. She lets him roam her house without a care despite the previous incident, the reason they got closer. Masazumi knows things about her he probably shouldn't just because of her lack of caution. Her actions are nonsensical. 

Though, he supposes, his paranoia when it comes to everyone that approaches him is even less normal. He has to remind himself of that, sometimes.

They had had another round of late-night partying, which never fails to make Masazumi nauseous beyond belief. 

"Ha-ha," Setsuna laughs blandly. He's not sure what she'd been trying to convey, perhaps genuine amusement or maybe something more sarcastic, but she's too out of it to express herself properly. "I'm going to hell."

"Where'd that come from?" Swirling his beer around, Masazumi looks wistful and worn-out. He's trying to postpone inevitably chugging it down sometime later. He wonders when he'll get used to the taste, to the sensation.

"It's just―" she burps and hiccups, another sign that she's been partying too hard tonight, "―so funny because. My dad is this catholic freak and I'm out here, acting out like this every night. I just think it's funny."

"Oh right, you're half-white, right?" Masazumi asks to fill the silence. It's the first time he has met someone that's technically catholic.

Setsuna ignores what he said, like she often does, and instead changes the subject into something she finds more interesting. "I got Oikawa's number."

"Mhm. I'm happy for you," which is another worthless lie, just like half of his vernacular. Masazumi knows that between friends, he should have found joy in the fact that Setsuna is getting closer to her beloved Oikawa, but he cannot. Instead of butterflies, he imagines maggots thrashing around in his stomach, making him uncomfortable and fidgety. 

This is just another loss for him, and he's been on a losing streak all his life.

Masazumi often reflects on whether he's jealous. You're attractive and Setsuna is also attractive, so it'd make sense that he's captivated by either of you, but it doesn't sound right. He just knows that Oikawa is like a thorn in his ass for no good reason, and Masazumi's rotten nature would allow him to ruin that pretty boy's life.

_December 17th._

Masazumi is filling out some kind of homework sheet when his mom waltzes in the room, distressed. It's obvious that she's been crying, however, he doesn't care to ask. It's not that his mom is a terrible parental figure. He just never got attached to her.

After his father passed away, she'd been too clingy and at times obsessive, but she'd also shun him away and shame him for his reclusive nature. Now, she's torn between trying to be happy for his attitude's make-over and worried about his absence and unclear whereabouts. 

He stares at her, questioning, and when her eyes meet his, she breaks down. Shoving an unknown device in his face, her words are hard to make out in between her sobbing and slobbering. "He was cheating on me!"

"Where'd you find that..." Masazumi trails off, taking the device away from her hands and discarding it somewhere. He'll inspect it later, but for now he has to deal with his mourning mother, he supposes. 

She doesn't answer the question. Just cries for a while, and he reaches out to hold her even though it feels unnatural. She's trembling, her body shaking with each wail that escapes her parched throat. Masazumi isn't even the tiniest bit moved―he finds her quite pathetic in this state, his body turning colder the more he holds her.

"We were in love!"

He tries to wrap his head around it. What he wants to say is, _he's dead_ , clinical and to the point. It shouldn't matter because he's been gone for years now, though maybe that faux image of love being shattered might've been damaging.

Instead of speaking his mind, Masazumi does what he does best. "Let's do something else for a while." He pushes his homework away. "I'm here for you. You're strong, you'll get through this."

He's been 'here' for Ayano too, hasn't he?

_January 6th._

"Senpai, I think you have a drinking problem," Masazumi says, stiff behind the figure of his superior. 

Agawa said that he wants to show him something before wandering toward the changing rooms and fishing out a key out of his pocket. Masazumi watched the show from a safe distance, as Agawa unlocked the orphic door that he's been curious about since he first saw it. It was always locked, and now his captain was about to reveal its contents.

The inside is underwhelming. It's full of alcohol bottles, some empty and some full. Masazumi scowls and lets that comment slip as cheekily as possible, to which Agawa only huffs. "We should get rid of those before I retire or you'll be in deep shit."

"Isn't it early to talk about retiring?" Masazumi would love to feign honesty and be like, _wow Agawa, am I really gonna be the new captain_ or something like that, but this new topic seems much more interesting.

"Maybe a bit premature." Agawa shrugs. "I won't leave yet, but maybe in a week or so. I can't be doing this shit anymore, man."

"Ah..."

The elder boy pulls out a big trash bag and starts filling it up. Masazumi decides to help and the two work in silence for a while until Agawa breaks it with an abrupt confession. "I never learned to like you."

"What?"

"Well, duh. You'd be the best president outta all of us and you have the most skill but, man, you're so creepy. You barely make a sound and you have tons of friends but no _friends-friends_ and you behave like a bunch of, I dunno, stolen mannerisms. And I feel like you don't like anything."

"...Why are you so fucking rude all the time?"

Agawa stares and then breaks out into laughter. Masazumi doesn't know what's so funny, but lets it go because in the end, he will be gone soon.

"Hey, captain, how'd you get that key?" he asks instead, disregarding Agawa's earlier outburst.

"Accidentally. I think you should just keep it because returning it at this point will be too much trouble," he explains with a slight shrug. Masazumi observes him warily until the day he retires.

_February 22nd._

**okbye** : i dont know if you care at this point but im pretty sure im going to be accepted in that school that my friend wanted to go to  
 **okbye** : with the popular guy...

 **gdsjikseosllosoljm** : Why does everything revolve around Oikawa in the end|  
 **gdsjikseosllosoljm** :Why does everything re|  
 **gdsjikseosllosoljm** : Why do you not sound happy about that?

 **okbye** : i wanted to go somewhere else but then my mom got on my case and she was like you might as well go bc you dont have other friends so might as well follow ur only one

 **gdsjikseosllosoljm** : Who's to say you won't make other ones?

 **okbye** : its too late to think about that.

 **gdsjikseosllosoljm** : You know, maybe it won't be so bad in that school. **  
**

 **okbye** : u think?

 **gdsjikseosllosoljm** : Sure.  
 **gdsjikseosllosoljm** : If it gets too hard, just text me instead.

 **okbye** : :) yea

_March 3rd._

The harrassment of Oikawa Tooru starts spontaneously, even though the build-up has been there for almost two years. Masazumi's envy is vehement despite being irrational and underdeveloped, like poison released into the wild. 

Amari Setsuna comes in the form of a catalyst of sorts. Again, drugged and drunk out of her mind, she finds herself next to him and cries on his shoulder. Masazumi knows that she's been rejected, because she told him that she'd confess today. 

Masazumi wants to be needed, but outside of the gap that his father left and outside of Oikawa's existence. In order to achieve that, he must take matters into his own hands. "What happened?" he says in mock concern. He might've been trying to console her or perhaps he just wanted to add fuel to the fire; he, too, drank too much that night.

"He said that he has someone that he already likes." Masazumi thought that she'd cry more but her tone is devoid of emotion, which is more worrying than the idea of her being in hysterics.

"Are you alright?" 

"No. He said he's going to ask [L/n]-san out by the end of this school year."

"Ah... I guess we can't do anything, except wish them good luck." _No no no no, this can't be happening_. This must've been the least favorable option for Masazumi's deranged obsession.

"I guess. He said we should still be friends," Setsuna says sadly, though knowing her, her fixation won't pass away immediately. Impulsively, Masazumi waits all night until Setsuna passes out and steals Oikawa's number after imputting her password―matthew6:33.

▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅

The whole situation had been perverse. Just him, sending cryptic messages and ramblings to this guy from school that he smiles at in the hallway, from the phone his dead father used for his secret affairs. Perhaps they were similar; he imagines his father, too, did that moments after his mom woke up to make him breakfast. 

Masazumi often thinks to himself _I'm so fucked up_ , but doesn't do anything to change because he's not bothered by his nature enough. He's been living in his own skin for eighteen years now, why should he be uncomfortable now of all times?

In the end, Oikawa had gotten cold feet and didn't manage to ask you out during his second year of high-school. Masazumi isn't sure if his messages were throwing him off or if he was just being a pussy, but he digresses. Even if not immediate, the paranoia had gotten to him and he started slowly falling off the social hierarchy in school due to his newfound aloofness when you all became third-years.

It had all been a cruel game. He liked the attention though, your and Oikawa's eyes on him even if not directly―it was kind of arousing, even. 

_May 5th._

Masazumi had witnessed your little confrontation with Oikawa. With the knowledge that smoking is your nervous habit, he watches you stalk away for a smoke. Your posture is angry. He decides that this will be the perfect moment to get a bit of blackmail material on you and starts walking outside, until he bumps into someone.

Ayano Takeuchi looks up at him with her big, dead eyes. He's never seen her up close before, except maybe when he was threatening Tashiro. Her mere presence gives him an idea.

"Sorry," she says monotonely.

"Hey, _Ayano-chan_ , right?"

"Uh-huh."

"You're from the cheerleading club, aren't you?" he asks, without waiting for an answer. "Look, I think I saw [L/n]-san and she looked pretty upset because she had a fight with her friend, Oikawa-kun. Check up on her, will ya'? For team bonding. I have to get to class."

She lets out a little hum. He knows that she can't help herself―she does what others tell her to just like he lies as if it's second-nature to him. 

"And don't mention me, alright? It'll ruin the gesture."

She stares at him and then does as she's told, giving him the perfect opportunity to snap a picture of you smoking outside.

_May 17th_.

He's not sure if Oikawa is even reading his texts anymore. No, he must be. Even if he isn't, Masazumi continues his one-sided conversations.

 **UNKNOWN** :  
I DON'T KNOW IF I WANT YOU OR IF I WANT TO BE YOU

_June 3rd._

Masazumi has been messing with Setsuna's meds for a week now and he partly blames her for being so messy. He even managed to take a picture of her taking them, though he isn't sure what to do with it yet. He's well-aware that she, Ayano and Tashiro are his best bets at making up a leeway since you already suspect them.

When you and Iwaizumi join them on the bus, he has a chill run down his spine. Though you haven't said anything, it means that you're plotting something, which can't be good for him. In a way, Masazumi feels red-handed even though he's far from defeated.

No, he'd been cautious not to do anything rash. He can't get caught.

"I don't think I've seen you guys at this bus stop before," he says, testing the waters. "A special occasion?"

"Nope. Just going to _this library_." You're blatantly trying to get a reaction, but Masazumi refuses to move even a muscle.

"Really? Why's he coming with you, if it's not a special occasion?"

"Because it gets dark early nowadays," Iwaizumi reasons.

"Aw, you guys are no fun. You're a chivalrous person, Iwaizumi-san."

When the bus arrives, Masazumi feels a sense of safety. He has no business in the library right now and he'd covered all his tracks, so it shouldn't be a problem. After you get off, everything should be fine again. The ride is filled with idle chatter until the library stop comes up. 

You and Iwaizumi don't get off. Masazumi suspects that you did so on purpose, so he guardedly examines everyone left. 

"You missed the stop that goes to the library," Setsuna says, with a confused tilt of her head, almost like she's doubting the information she's giving out. That must mean the messed up medicine dosage is getting to her. Then, she turns towards Masazumi. "Hey, you get off on the last stop too, don't you?"

"Yeah." He feigns being hurt. "You didn't forget about our date, right?"

There's no date, though Setsuna agreed to something similar for later this week. He can see her confusion growing more into fear for the sudden lapses in her memory, but she neither agrees nor denies. "What, that's today? I must've forgotten. But we don't have to cancel."

"Hey, are you sure you agreed for _today_ , Amari?" you question sharply. 

Masazumi has never felt such a surge of panic. It's kind of addictive.

_July 5th._

**gdsjikseosllosoljm** : I wanna meet you.

 **okbye** : isnt this a bit sudden

 **gdsjikseosllosoljm** : Well, we've known each other for a few years now. I wanna make it up to you for being so absent.

 **okbye** : ok  
 **okbye** : i can do with that  
 **okbye** : where do u wanna meet

 **gdsjikseosllosoljm** : Where would you feel safest meeting?  
 **gdsjikseosllosoljm** : I have club activities though. Maybe I could go to your school and you could ask a friend to stay with you, or something. **  
**

 **okbye** : that sounds sus

 **gdsjikseosllosoljm** : Probably. I'd do it over the weekend, but I have tutoring... Sorry.

 **okbye** : well our school has security so sure. maybe. ill ask my friend to stay after practice

 **gdsjikseosllosoljm** : Just give me the address and I'll be there.

_July 6th._

**okbye** : you're l/n-san's stalker, aren't you?

**gdsjikseosllosoljm** : Who? What?

**okbye:** you were trying to frame me. you didn't show last night and that vandalism thing happened.  
 **okbye:** idk who u are but i'm gonna find u.

 **gdsjikseosllosoljm** : I genuinely don't know what you're talking about.

 **okbye** : im not an idiot

 **gdsjikseosllosoljm** : Aren't you being paranoid?   
_Message failed to send._

Masazumi clicks his tongue in disapproval, but decides that he'll deal with Ayano later, if necessary. She may claim that she's not an idiot, but she's certainly no threat to him. With a scowl on his face, he walks into the hallway and is greeted by an unpleasant sight.

You, Kanamori and Setsuna conversing. Setsuna appears to not be instigating a fight, which is strange if not anything else. He glares so hard he's sure his gaze must've burned, but quickly snaps out of it and decides that he can't afford having you on good terms with his quote-unquote girlfriend. 

He approaches, quiet as usual. "Setsuna-chan, Kanamori-san, [L/n]-san. The football club heard about your situation, so when I saw all of you together, I thought it'd be the perfect time to tell you that our teacher wants to offer you to split the gym with us. Can you talk?"

"Oh, sure," Kanamori agrees quickly. "We can discuss it. Amari and [L/n] have something to talk about, so let's go somewhere else."

 _He hates that bitch so much._ So, he takes it out on Setsuna instead.

_July 7th._

Since Masazumi's generous offer, the cheerleaders have been practicing in the football gym instead. He warily observes what you and Ayano are up to. At some point, you and Kanamori walk outside which gives him the impression that he's in trouble.

Not much that he can do about it now, anyway. He stays on edge and almost fifteen minutes pass before you and Kanamori come back, together. Kanamori goes on with her business as usual, while you step in your tracks and look at him head-on. 

The eye contact that you two share is tense, even if it lasts less than a second. He feels a surge of adrenaline and you smile at him emptily before waving curtly. He waves back, both giddy and afraid for his life, as he usually is.

_I like it when you look at me, [Y/n]-chan._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> back by unpopular demand
> 
> ok so like i know that masazumi's motive seems so like.. nothing? but these 2 chapters are about him basically losing It and how he just does shit cause he can and the more his behavior goes on the more unhinged/unaccpetable it becomes. its supposed to be creepy because its such an insane reason to go at such great lengths
> 
> anyways i hope people still read this lol. and i tried to edit it i raelly did but it's so late at night im going to sleep 


	19. Aftermaths & Conclusions

It's been two days since you came to your epiphany. You tap your fingers against your desk in clear irritation, unsure how to go about confronting Masazumi. It's not that you don't know what to do―it's evident that you should report him to the principal and then the authorities. And it's not like you're lacking the confidence to come forward with your story, either. 

No, you want revenge. But you don't know how to get it. 

You reminisce the hell of trauma he'd put you through, all while smiling to your face whenever you passed by him. Your phone is discarded at the edge of the desk's wooden surface, no light emitting from it. You stare at it as you contemplate all the painful memories it carries, memories that you can't erase because they're evidence.

An idea strikes you the longer you gaze at it. With hesitance unlike yourself, you reach towards it until you eventually unlock it. It's almost habitual for you to open Iwaizumi's contact, and with haste, you write your proposal. Though he might not be in school because of his injury, you can't deny him a part in this.

 **nothing girl** :  
hey  
does masazumi have ur phone # by any chance

 **bruhzumi bruhjime** :  
Not as far as I know  
Why?

 **nothing girl** :  
could u send him a message for me

 **bruhzumi bruhjime** :  
Are you trying to reverse-Unknown him

 **nothing girl** :  
;)  
write "Meet me in the changing rooms during practice, or else." (yes with the correct grammar)  
contact info

 **bruhzumi bruhjime** :  
Is this alright?  
I mean hes a really big guy you know  
He could hurt you...

 **nothing girl** :  
just do it bro please  
i can handle myself

 **bruhzumi bruhjime** :  
Alright fine

▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅

The day passes in a daze. There's a mix of anxiety and excitement swirling in your stomach as you approach the changing rooms. Assuming that Masazumi shows up, the time has come. Though Oikawa was informed of the identity of his stalker, you didn't tell him about your plans for today. He'd be too worried.

You must have not been hiding your distractedness well because Setsuna, who came back to school today, approaches you. "Hmm, captain, what are you thinking about?"

She locks eyes with you, curious by what your answer might be. Kanamori observes you two interacting from the corner of her eye, rigid that another fight is about to break out. However, when no sign of conflict makes itself present, she appears placated and leaves the room.

"A confrontation," you say after pondering how to word it for a while. After all, Setsuna was a victim in all of this; she too deserves to know.

"Did you find out who it is?" Her expression hardens momentarily, her wide smile replaced by that familiar face of raw anger. 

Without uttering a word, you nod. She grabs you by the shoulders, the motion rough and unapologetic, then glares at you as if you're the preparator. "Who's the bitch?"

"I wouldn't say bitch," you muse out-loud. Then you deliver your follow-up with a humorless laugh. "More like a sperm donor."

You expect her to be confused, not because you think she's stupid but more-so because you weren't being specific. Her glare then turns to the floor and you're almost afraid that she will spit on your shoe, but thankfully, she doesn't. "It's Masazumi, isn't it?"

"Yeah," you confirm in a lukewarm manner. The changing room has cleared out now. You look at the time and conclude that practice has started. 

Setsuna merely observes as you take out the key to the linked hallway and unlock the big, metallic door. You can tell that she has questions, but she doesn't voice them out. While you're making your way to the boys' changing room, she follows after you. 

"You stay here," you advise before banging the door closed in her face. You don't lock it―what if you need her help, if things go bad?

"Hey!" You expected her to yell or do something obnoxious, but all that comes out from her mouth is a hiss of defiance.

You figure that if Masazumi does show up, it'd be sometime soon. Creeping up towards the door, you stay still and position yourself where the door would open. A few minutes pass by and your patience is running thin. Perhaps you were naïve for thinking he'd fall for such a blatant bluff.

The moment you begin doubting yourself, you hear the doorknob twist slightly. The door then creaks and Masazumi peaks in, but only slightly. You're not surprised by his cautiousness. He's probably trying to see who's waiting for him. 

The door opens ajar further and you figure that this is your best chance. With all the might you can muster, you force the door backwards and it smacks him in, you presume, the temple. The impact is loud yet short and you can hear him stumble. 

You definitely gave him a concussion with that, if not anything else. For a moment, you wonder if you should reveal your identity, though you suppose he must already know. "This was for Iwaizumi's leg, you know?"

Masazumi can only grumble unintelligibly. Bit by bit, you step out of your hiding zone and look at his pathetic form, laying against the doorframe. The side of his head looks like it's bruising. Your stare on him lingers still as you wonder what to do. You had hit him and caused him pain like you wanted to, yet you weren't happy about it. 

You could stop or you could hit him a hundred times more, though it wouldn't change anything. The damage has already been done. Not that if you were to continue hitting him, it'd be a mistake or something to regret, but you take some time into thinking about it. 

Wobbly, Masazumi stands up and lunges at you. You're caught off-guard and as he tries to strangle you, you claw at his fingers in a futile attempt to break free. You feel like you're about to pass out. The two of you are too caught up in the heat of the moment during your scuffle, that you don't even notice the door open wide, revealing your PE teacher accompanied by Setsuna.

You kick Masazumi in the nuts and he forcibly releases his tight grip on your neck. You trip backwards, almost falling, and let yourself breathe as if the sensation has somehow become foreign to you. Masazumi kneels in pain.

"What's going on here?!" your teacher shrieks, her eyes wide like she has just seen a ghost. You open your mouth to croak out an answer of some kind, but she cuts your attempt at speaking short. "To the principal's office. _Now_."

The whole way there, Setsuna walks by your side.

▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅

Aoba Johsai's principal assesses the three of you with worry written over his face. It’s rare that there are cases of physical altercations in this school, so this situation is alarming. "Ah, Amari-san, do you mind explaining what happened first? Since you called Miss Suzuki over." 

"Of course, sir," Setsuna agrees. "You see, we were supposed to be having practice, but [L/n]-san wasn't showing up. And then Masazumi-san left the gym and― and you know, when I got attacked a few days ago, _it was by him_."

The sentence hangs in the air. You observe the principal's expression, though he doesn't indicate whether or not he believes this allegation. Masazumi's grip on the chair's handle tightens and his knuckles turn white, but he says nothing, too disoriented to speak.

"So remembering that [L/n]-san is yet to come I was like, _what is this freak doing?_ But I tried to ignore it because I figured I was just being paranoid... Still, after a few seconds, I decided to check on [L/n]-san because it was bugging me. And when I approached the changing rooms, I heard this loud slam. So I ran to tell the first teacher I came across, which was Miss Suzuki." Setsuna finishes her explanation with a solemn expression. 

Masazumi weighs out his options while the principal is processing this new information. He decides that his silence would be damning and so he adds fuel to the fire. His words come out a bit slurred and with intervals of silence in between. "[L/n]-san hit me with the door first. I don't even know why she was in the boys' changing rooms. I'm pretty sure that's _some_ kind of offense."

That sends the principal into even more distress. He looks between the two of you warily until his gaze settles on you. You don't cower in front of him, but you don't try to say that he's just lying either. 

"And what business did you have there, Miss [L/n]?"

You glance at Masazumi's smug expression. He looks inadequate, but satisfied with himself, and suddenly you wish you had hurt him some more. Your throat is dry; he wouldn't attack you right here, right now, right? Not in front of the principal, at least. 

Your vision focuses on Setsuna, who's beside him. She's not doing anything inspiring, but when you look at her, you realize that this is your best chance. Once more, you readjust your gaze towards the principal. 

When you open your mouth, everything spills out like word vomit. You tell him everything―about Oikawa's harrassment, the polaroids, when he hung up those posters lying about you doing sex work, the creep shots, the texts, drugging you, the linking key, the vandalism, Iwaizumi's leg, Setsuna's meds.

And all Masazumi could do is listen.

▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅

Despite Masazumi being very meticulous in his approach to being Unknown, it seems that this caution only ran so far. Of course, what you had told the principal was alarming, so he had asked Oikawa and Iwaizumi to confirm your story, which they did. 

It became apparent that the foul play you spoke of is real. The same day they questioned you, you handed over your phone to show all the texts and a warrant for his house to be search was made. It was proved that he had sent them from his late father's phone, and even his texts to Oikawa were now traced.

Evidence of his transgressions kept popping up. They found his fingerprints all over Setsuna's medicine containers as well as her old phone. Somehow, Ayano had gotten involved, though you're still unsure as to what their connection is. When making his way out of this situation inevitably stopped being an option, he no longer denied his actions and instead admitted that he's guilty. 

This had been going on for two months, and Masazumi was expelled from your school. However, you too had a short suspension for breaking some rules, like the no smoking policy and sneaking into the changing rooms. Additionally, the main people involved got restraining others against him approved, and he has to serve twelve weeks.

You look at the palm of your hand, the one you gripped the doorhandle with before hitting him. It's calloused, something you never noticed before, or perhaps it's a recent development. _Twelve weeks for our pain, huh?_

You dwell on it. Your lives will never be the same and your interactions with people are forever changed, laced with distrust and paranoia regarding their intentions. He had gotten punishment and you most likely won't see him again, but it's not enough. It's like a slap on the wrist.

"What are you thinking about, [N/n]-chan?" Oikawa's annoying voice brings you out of your stupor. You wish he didn't try to look happy all the time. 

"Nothing." You take your pack of cigarettes out of your pocket and stare at it, contemplative. Oikawa waits for something to happen, though he's surprised when you throw the entire pack in a nearby trashcan as dramatically as possible.

Oikawa stifles a laugh. You don't know what's so funny, but there's genuine amusement somewhere, so you don't comment on it. "Pfft, what was that? You're gonna get withdrawal again."

"I don't know, I just felt like it'd look cool," you quip with a smirk. "Poetic cinema, or what was it?"

"Nah, you would've had to throw them in the river for that," he argues with a slight click of his tongue. "Uneducated people always crack me up."

"That's not good for the environment."

A momentary silence follows and the two of you just look at each other, unsure of what to say. "We should probably go," Oikawa says awkwardly, walking ahead. "Iwaizumi is waiting for us."

"Isn't it weird to be having a movie night after all this? Acting all normal?"

"Maybe," he says. "I mean, it's not like it'll go away. But I guess time keeps moving whether we like it or not, and we have to try our best to be happy."

You clap sarcastically, catching up to him. "Ahh, that should be your new magazine quote, pretty boy."

"Hey, don't bully me, [N/n]-chaaaan..."

▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅

You smile wryly as you exit the after-school club manager's office. You're surprised to see Kanamori standing there, with her arms crossed over her chest. "So you really quit, huh." Though it should be a question, it somehow doesn't sound like one. She's making an observation more than anything else.

You tilt your head to the side, putting your index finger on your chin. "Yeah, I guess Setsuna is the captain now. That's what she wanted, isn't it?"

"I guess," she replies, her tone cynical. "Are you sure, though? Now's the time for all the important competitions and―"

"No offense, Kanamori, but I need therapy. Not a career in athletics," you cut her off. You really can't be doing this shit anymore. Every time you go near the gym or even think about participating in cheerleading, it brings back those terrible memories. Plus, if you were to be in a club, it'd clash with your new schedule.

"Ah, so that's what this is about." Kanamori looks to the side, evidently not too offended by your blunt remark. "Be well, [L/n]-san."

"You too," you reply before putting your hands behind your head and whistling on your way down the hallway. 

▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅

"What do you guys plan on studying? In college, I mean," Iwaizumi asks.

"Boo, you're such a grandpa for this." You throw some nearby crumpled piece of paper at him, courtesy of Oikawa's floor. He swats it away with ease, which only makes you groan again. 

"Well _I_ ," Oikawa gestures grandiosely towards himself, which makes you both glare at him in annoyance, "...will continue to play volleyball."

"Duh. What about you, Iwaizumi?"

"You're dodging the question," he deadpans. 

You frown. "You're dodging the question too."

"No, that's not how it― agh, whatever." You smile slightly at your win and his frustration. "I've been looking into sports science, but I'm not sure yet."

"Why are you both muscle heads?"

"I'm not. I'm hot," Oikawa argues, flicking a different piece of paper in your direction. It hits your cheek and then falls to the ground.

You shrug at his theatrics. "Well―"

"Hot!" he yells before throwing his entire body mass at you. You fall to the ground and grumble something about his armpits smelling bad, which he takes great offense to. He then audibly denounces AXE deodorant, which Iwaizumi rolls his eyes at.

"Get off of me." You try to wrestle him off, but he doesn't budge and instead forces you to smell his stinky armpit again. _He's unbelievable_ , you think to yourself, annoyed. 

Just as you're about to give up and accept your fate, which is to die because Oikawa got high blood pressure for some reason despite showering after practice, Iwaizumi shoves him off of you. "I think we need to stop doing this. We're about to become functioning members of society."

"What's wrong with you?" you both say in unison. 

"What? What's wrong with me?"

"You really are a grandpa," Oikawa says with a frown. You remember what he said back then. _We should try our best to be happy._

"Well, okay but don't come crying to me when you're being embarrassing in public and everyone laughs at you and makes fancams."

You readjust your weight on your stomach, laying on the ground. "Do you seriously think we'd fake-fight in public?"

"Yes."

Showing him your middle finger, you look back at your neglected homework. Still, something outside of math equations is on your mind. You're not sure what to do. Graduating high school is scary, even if there's nothing that you want more than leaving it all behind.

"Hey, [N/n]-chan. Now that you're not in the cheerleading club, will you come to our match against Karasuno this week?" Oikawa is wary when he asks this, and you don't blame him. Since they both knew why you quit and because they were in similar positions regarding therapy and counseling, the topic was narrowly avoided in discussion.

"Are you silly?" you question with a smug expression on your face. "I've been going to all of them. Your big head just has so many fans that you don't notice."

Oikawa pouts, then whines. "My head isn't big!"

"You never say hi after," Iwaizumi notes, as if a little saddened.

"Psh, if I stopped going Hanamaki would cancel me."

"Oh, so now you love Makki more than us?!"

Maybe you could take a gap year.

▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅

You're dressed in your prom outfit, sitting on Oikawa's couch. Iwaizumi is dressed in a suit with colors matching yours, since he's technically your date, and you're both currently waiting for Oikawa to get ready. There's less than an hour until the event is supposed to start.

"You've been kinda quiet. Is something wrong?" Iwaizumi asks gently, looking at you in the eyes.

You shrug. "I'm okay. I just kinda don't wanna go, but we already have these outfits and everything."

"Oh. Well, I understand, I'm not really in the mood either. But hey, at least we match."

"We have so much in common," you say jokingly, to which Iwaizumi smiles slightly. The two of you maintain eye contact for a bit and then start leaning in. You're not sure why, but it just feels like the right thing to do at the moment. When you close your eyes and tilt your head slightly, you're interrupted by the sound of Oikawa walking down the stairs.

You both pull away and are startled by the sight. You shriek slightly and Iwaizumi visibly jumps while he's sitting.

There Oikawa is, in the ugliest fucking thing you've seen. His suit is all plaid, and you can see his socks peeking from under his pants. He even has a bowtie instead of a tie which is what a normal person would have worn.

"What is THAT?" You can't help the volume of your voice or how your incredulous your expression is as you ask. 

He frowns. "Are you guys really gonna be mean on our big day?"

"Yes," Iwaizumi says. "If you're gonna be wearing that, I could give you a swirlie and it'd be deserved."

"So meannnn..."

"I will pretend I do not know you in public," you say (or more like warn?) with a tight smile on your face.

"Ditto."

"Ignoring how I've been betrayed by my fake, backstabbing, alleged _best friends_ ―" to emphasize how emotionally wounded he is, he puts air-quotes around the words best friends like they're offensive, "―we should head out already."

You glance at the time and agree with him. The atmosphere turns almost tense, but you're not sure why, and the three of you stand still on Oikawa's porch as if you've all come down with the cheese touch.

"Someone should probably call a cab," Iwaizumi says.

"Probably," you agree. The two of you stare at Oikawa expectantly, after all he's the one that looks the most excited about this whole ordeal. 

Oikawa nods wordlessly and starts writing something on his phone, but then turns it off and puts it back in his pocket. "Someone should probably call a cab," he reiterates with a wannabe inconspicuous whistle. 

"What are we even doing?" you wonder out loud, pinching the bridge of your nose, visibly irritated.

"So, I take it no one actually wants to go to prom then?"

"No, I guess not."

You giggle a little. "Yeah, we could tell by that ugly suit."

"Don't bring the suit into this," Oikawa mumbles and then retreats to his house. You and Iwaizumi go inside after him and the familiar couch disfigures yourself in the form of all of your asscheeks once more. 

He fiddles with the remote, to which Iwaizumi responds by pointing out the obvious. "Movie night again, huh? We're getting too predictable."

You think about that habit of yours, though you suppose what's familiar is comfortable. Even when Oikawa brings out his dad's alcohol and your own 'mini-prom' starts, you and Iwaizumi don't discuss that almost-kiss you had.

▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅

On graduation day, you stand between Oikawa and Kanamori. The principal is giving some lengthy and boring speech that you're not listening to, and the sun is glaring in your eyes. You're getting too hot and sweaty. 

There's a moment of silence when you think the speech has stopped and you can grab your diploma, get a few pictures and then leave, but the principal unexpectedly starts speaking again. "Though we have already gone over the awards this year, due to a certain situation that occurred, I have revised and added another category."

Your eyebrows raise in your confusion and your lips unconsciously part. You want to let out an obtuse _huh_ , but thankfully nothing comes out.

"This category is one of bravery."

 _Oh god. Oh no._ You pray that this isn't going the way you think it's going, or else you'll be seriously embarrassed. Or maybe mad. Or maybe both, actually.

"Everyone, please welcome [L/n] [Y/n] to the stage. We should congratulate her for her bravery in sharing her story and giving courage to other victims to speak up."

_?????_

You whip your head left and right. This isn't acceptable. Why would the principal be such a douche and do all this? It's not like you were the only person involved, after all. Kanamori gives you a look of pity until you finally make your way to the podium he's standing on and he practically forces everyone to clap for you.

After the whole thing blows over and the picture-snapping ceases, you're prepared to go home and pretend that this didn't happen, and that your graduation ceremony was perfectly normal. You and Iwaizumi wait for Oikawa around a corner, as he's being bombarded by his fans.

"Damn, this graduation kinda sucks," Iwaizumi says intelligently.

"Yep. What's your damage?"

"A bird pooped on my cap." To ensure that you've clearly understood what he said, he flips his cap over and shows it to you.

"Pfft, wow."

Just as you're marvelling at this sight, Oikawa seemingly gets released from his little fan-club. "I can't believe I'll have to let my fame go," he whines.

Iwaizumi kicks him and you pretend not to hear his _ouch_. You figure that this is about when you should go with your respective guardians. Iwaizumi must think the same thing, because he waves at you both before approaching his mom's car. Oikawa leaves soon after and you stay around, waiting to be picked up.

You don't expect someone to talk to you as you're waiting under the shade of the school building, the wind slightly blowing in your face. Perhaps you're lost deep in thought, because you get surprised when someone taps your shoulder. It's Tashiro.

Wondering what she wants, you look at her expectantly. It's not like you ever talked to her much apart from club duties and that whole situation, plus she's a first-year so she hadn't even been in the club for that long before you left. She has something hidden behind her back and before you can even question her, she pulls it out. It's a basket wrapped in a pretty bow. 

"It's, um, for you." She hands it to you and leaves.

You internally scowl at yourself when you realize that you're being cautious of its contents, though you suppose you can't help your immediate reaction. Having nothing better to do you take a peak and unwrap it. It's filled to the brim with your favorite foods―at least the ones that can be packaged―a voucher of some sort, as well as a card.

Curious, you squat against the wall and put the basket aside. Taking out the card, you open it and look at what it's inside. It's a doodle of who you recognize as Tashiro and Setsuna, drawn in a chibi-like style, with Ayano listed as the artist. All it says is: _We're sorry._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> damn wish i could be like y/n and throw nicotine addiction away in da trash bag but we can't all be her
> 
> so anyway writing this was actually really, really surreal. anyone that knows me knows that i can't finish shit For shit and this is essentially the last chapter before the epilogue and i never thought i'd be writing this so like. yay me
> 
> so um. I hope you liked it and that this is a satisfying near-end. :P
> 
> also here (https://imgur.com/a/3UtvuvE) is a drawing i did yesterday of ayano (left) kanamori (middle) and setsuna (right) because i had to give them a tribute for existing until the end of the story. also despite what this monstrosity might imply i actually do know how to shade i was just experimenting. Social experiment things.


	20. Conclusions & Contemplatives (Epilogue)

You ended up taking the gap year, while Oikawa and Iwaizumi moved onto college immediately. You found a job as a waitress, which you only sought out for the sake of experimentation and gaining experience rather than anything else. Plus, it's not like it'd be easy for a high-school graduate to find a more bearable type of job, anyway.

You thought maybe it'd help you decide on a career. Unsure how you came to that conclusion, you rolled with it anyway. 

So, this is about the moment when you turn towards an imaginary camera and say, "Get a load of this guy." 

Upon your first official day on the job, you come face-to-face with someone familiar during your break. He's a few feet away from you, doing nothing of importance while you simply stare at him with incredulity. There he is, Agawa, your once upperclassman and previous captain of the football team.

 _Football team._ To be clear, you don't mind Agawa. You used to think that he's funny during your acquaintanceship, but you can't help the on spur of negative feelings churning in your stomach. Because all this time, you've been trying to get away from all this. 

You might have been staring at him for way too long because he appears to have sensed it and turns in your direction. A spark of recognition lights his face up and he waves you over. You comply, though you're confused. _What is he doing here? Well, obviously he's working, but..._ Something about it just comes off as odd.

"Yo, you might not remember me but―"

"I do," you say. 

"You're in college now, aren't you?" he says, unphased by your interruption. Though, to be fair, you don't remember him being particularly phased by anything throughout the two years you knew him.

You appreciate him not bringing up the situation surrounding Masazumi, at least. He must for sure be aware of it.

"I'm taking my gap year," you explain, to which he gives a curt nod. On one hand, you want to ask if he's working part-time to help with college funds, but on the other hand, you don't want to be rude just because of mere curiosity.

You never took Agawa for someone who's intuitive, but regardless, he answers your unasked question. "I dropped out of college," he informs you, casual as ever.

"Hm? Why?" You don't sound judgemental of his decision but once again, intrigued, considering the fact that you're trying to decide what kind of career you'd like to start.

"You know, when you switch a lot of courses and you suck at all of them, there comes a point where you're like. Ah. This shit ain't for me," he explains with a shrug. 

"And how do you decide what 'shit' is right for you?"

"Well, I dunno, I'm not there yet. But I get the feeling that you're not asking about me." He smirks. You do remember him being cocky occasionally, but not like this, or perhaps your memory is failing you.

You cross your arms. "Don't make me sound like some self-centred piece of shit."

"Nah, I'm just playing. But really, you have nothing that you like doing? Or at least something you're curious about?"

"No, I guess not." You shrug. "I'll have to think about it."

You soon notice that your break time has passed by in a blur. In your head, you curse these unrealistic rest expectations. Your attention returns to your job when another co-worker of yours informs you that two people sat on table eight. You hum and go to tend to your duties.

When you near table eight, you're surprised to see Iwaizumi and Oikawa there. Oikawa notices you over his best friend's shoulder and calls you over in an obnoxious, Oikawa-patterned manner. "[N/n]-chaaaan, over here!"

"Did you come just to embarrass me?" you say, lifting an eyebrow.

"Nah," Iwaizumi answers with a quick glare in Oikawa's direction. The brunette dramatically cowers. "Are you up for movie night? Shittykawa says that his roommates will be gone tonight, so."

You haven't done that tradition of yours in a while, actually, so this sounds nice. However, it also gets you thinking and recalling Agawa's words from a few minutes ago, to try something you're curious about. You give them a grin. "Sure. Anyways your orders?"

"Do you have discounts for friends?" Oikawa asks, trying his best attempt at puppy eyes.

"No."

▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅

You pad across the floor of your shared apartment, waving around the new camera you got for your 22nd birthday like a trophy prize. Oikawa and Iwaizumi bought it for you together and you honestly didn't hesitate to accept the gift, enthusiastic about its brand. It was convenient, too, just in time to amp up the budget for your new project.

You spot Iwaizumi first, shirtless with a coffee mug in his hand. He looks sleepy. You approach him, already recording. "Yo, Hajime."

"What?" he asks groggily. "What are you doing?"

"It's for the project. Give me a smile," you command.

"No, I feel evil and will make a scary expression now," he denies before making a Tanaka-esque expression. You keep recording anyway, even when Oikawa abruptly comes into frame and interrupts.

"Hey, [N/n], are you recording?"

"Yeah."

He starts posing. It's kind of cringe but brings a smile to your face regardless (you don't know if it's one of pity or what, though). You zoom in on his nose hairs, which makes him swat the camera away from his face playfully. 

Iwaizumi scoffs and pulls him by the ear. "Hey, that's expensive."

"But we bought it together―"

You record their play-fighting. Some things never change.

▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅

You've been collecting footage for your project for a while now, which wasn't a problem. For one, the Brazilian scenery in your general area is pretty, even in the most mundane places. You suppose you have an eye for urban areas, or something like that, and the lighting makes for interesting shots.

Looking over the footage, you feel a sense of fondness. It's just a collection of happy moments, as you've decided the theme for your short film to be―though you have added a few scripted scenes to form an open-ended, abstract narrative to create the illusion of perhaps a darker twist. You have not yet started editing it all together, because you still have to compose the music, which is exactly the reason you're looking it all over.

Most of them revolve around Oikawa and Iwaizumi, since they're the people you spend the most time with, you suppose it's only natural. There is a recording from one of Oikawa's winning matches, after he had scored the final point and you remember the deafening applause that followed after. The next clip is from the same day, when the three of you celebrated. Iwaizumi was being weird about calamari, for some reason, and Oikawa forcefed him like a toddler. He ended up liking it though, so you suppose it's a win.

There's a lot of footage of the three of you just doing random shit, or admiring scenery during a road trip you went on a while ago with a sense of romance to them. A small chunk of them is also filmed at this shitty bar and most of it comprises Oikawa trying to twerk, but you like to pretend that this didn't happen. Though letting go of the past has been hard and continues to be a fight for your mental health, this film will embody the thing you strive for. Idyll, as you deserve.

Even if a majority of the videos are your antics, there are also appearances coming from the new friends you made here as well as some old faces. Once Iwaizumi was flipping through the channels on the TV and frantically called the two of you over when he saw Setsuna on some sports channel.

You sigh contently as you get to work, leaning further into your chair with your legs on the seat. Later that night, Oikawa comes home after a busy day, only to see you still working. 

"You were still at this when I left," he observes, leaning in to look over your shoulder.

"Hey, no spoilers."

"Oh sorry, the sound waves are really giving it away right now," Oikawa teases.

You scoff. He backs away, his hands put up in mock surrender. 

"I'll go to sleep soon," you promise, though you're not sure if you'll stay true to your word.

"Alright. When's the deadline?"

"In a month. Night." You shoo him away with a shake of your hands towards the general direction of the bedroom which makes him sigh dramatically but take his leave, regardless. He's not dense enough not to realize that he's keeping you up by wasting your time with this conversation.

▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅

"I can't believe they agreed to have some weird parking-lot projection of your movie," Iwaizumi remarks. Though his words aren't poetic or anything of the sort, you can tell that he's impressed by the look on his face.

"Well, when I showed it to the Big Man―" Oikawa stifles a laugh at the nickname you gave your boss, "―he ended up really liking it, for whatever reason, so he agreed to help with this."

The three of you finally find a spot. Your audience isn't enormous by any means, but it's enough to satisfy you. The sun is dipping behind the horizon and the day is going dim, creating what you consider being the perfect atmosphere for your creation. A few minutes pass by, and Oikawa has already eaten half of the popcorn (which Iwaizumi scolds him for, for the record). Then the projector starts playing.

There's a shot of a grassy field during sunset, two vague silhouettes outlined in the distance. For a mere moment, it stays that way, until the title screen shows up in white. _Cynosure_ , it reads. Your name is spelled out under it in a smaller font.

▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅

You'd say that after your debut art project you've had a satisfactory amount of success in snobby circles who are obsessed with niche films that they declare underrated. You suppose they are received that way due to most of your pieces being a form of venting. You don't mind your audience at all, though once you're back in Miyagi, you don't expect anyone to be aware of this endeavor of yours.

Actually, you didn't expect to stumble upon Kanamori at the mall while shopping, but that's beside the point. When you two recognized each other, you decided to go for a coffee. She looks about the same, but with a mellowed-out face rather than the scowl she used to have on her face all the time. 

"I'm a teacher now," she says, before lighting a cigarette. "You want one?"

You're itching to say yes, but your mouth runs on autopilot. "Nah, I quit them a few years back."

"Oh, damn, sorry, I didn't know." Her apology is sincere even if worded bluntly.

"But shit, I didn't expect you to become a teacher of all things. Do you like it?"

"Nah. I'm a high-school teacher and these kids are driving me crazy." She pinches the bridge of her nose and then scowls a bit. "But why did I bring this up? There are these three first-years in my homeroom class who are total kino maniacs. They try to make me play your movies all the time and I'm like fuck. That was my classmate. They didn't believe it when I told them, though."

You giggle a little. The thought of people spreading around and recommending your works is both flattering _and_ surreal. "I remember we both used to be terrible students."

"Hah, I guess I owe an apology to all of our old teachers. I feel them now."

"How'd you decide to become a teacher?" you ask, curious. 

She shrugs. "It just came to me one day, like some crazy, divine epiphany. Maybe because at one point I was a TA. But I wanted to ask, what are you doing back here? I thought you're in Brazil along with Iwaizumi-san and dumb-o."

"Oh, we're back here for a special occasion," you smirk before beginning your explanation. "You see, Hajime's mom found some rich dude to marry. And she called us back here for a banquet and then the wedding. We'll go back after that, though. Obviously when we heard, me and Tooru were like, get your coin queen. But Hajime told us to stop once we started coming up with ways to get rid of him once he puts her in his will."

Kanamori snorts, slightly impressed that you've kept your way of speaking even in your twenties. Though, she suddenly realizes something. "Wait, she called the three of you back from all the way there?"

"Yeah, why?"

Something unspoken goes, but she says nothing and instead observes you warily while she puts out her cigarette. "Nothing. But please don't do anything stupid with Oikawa-kun, I promise you the blood on your hands won't be worth it."

"Hmm, I can't promise anything." You give her a mischievous grin. "Hey, feel free to call me over for one of your homeroom classes these days. I'd like to meet these kids."

"Pfft, don't get cocky just because you have fans. High-schoolers are insane."

"Sure are," you agree, before looking out the window of the cafe, this time a more wistful expression on your face. "Unpredictable, really."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> welp. This was it. sorry if it was shitty ive never written an epilogue before Cry
> 
> um anyway so
> 
> first i want to thank my mom for abusing me and making me the person that i am today <3\. second off i wanna thank zoe and lottie for telling me that this is a good idea (they are my wives ). thirdo ff obviously i wanna thank anyone who Ever read this even if you hated it and wanted to make me eat diarrhea or even if you read a few chapters and were done with it but especially if you read it all until the end! lastly i wanna thank myself for being handsome and funny
> 
> i tried my best to read comments and respond to some but What can i say . not very good at that or expressing gratitude but i wante d to thank you guys for making my days a bit better 
> 
> So i guess i will straight-out say it that oikawa iwaizumi and y/n are all supposed to be in a polyamorous relationship. i didnt want to leave it as an implication but i tried writing it out and was like This is kinda unnatural... so i tried to imply it with the theme ofy/n's film instead. cynosure, which means the focal point of admiration, and the main 'characters' in it being oikawa and iwaizumi
> 
> i know that iwaizumi was the preferred love interest, but i didn't wanna leave any of them out can u blame me 


End file.
